The presence at the Paris Olympics of two boxers who were disqualified from last year’s world championships has revived the discussion over whether athletes with Differences of Sexual Development (DSD) should compete in women’s competition.
Its not the first time when such controversy took place but because it happened in Olympics stage, it got reactions not only from sports fartenity but also from Head of major Nations including Italy and France. Even USA President contender Donald Trump also entered in this debate. It has Indian connection also, when Indian sprinter Dutee Chand faced the similar row long back. Now she also shared her perspective on the controversy.
“In 2014, I challenged the IOC’s rule that a person with a higher testosterone level should not participate in the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. It was noted that hormonal levels cannot increase athletic performance. I suffered a lot at that time. I faced a lot of controversy regarding my gender.”
Why are they allowed to compete at the Olympics?
The IBA was stripped of its status as the global governing body for boxing by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in June last year because of its failure to complete reforms on governance, finance and ethical issues.
The IOC is therefore running the boxing competition at the Paris Games, as it did at the Tokyo Olympics, and its rules on the inclusion of athletes with DSDs and gender diversity in the women’s competition apply.
The latest IOC guidelines issued in 2021 state that inclusion should be the default in such cases and that athletes should only be excluded from women’s competition if there are clear fairness or safety issues.
“Federations need to make the rules to make sure that there is fairness but at the same time with the ability for everyone to take part who wants to. That’s a difficult balance,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said on Tuesday.
“In the end it’s up to the experts for each discipline. They know very well where there is an advantage, and if that is a big advantage then that is clearly not acceptable. But that decision needs to be made at that level.”
Are there any similar cases at the Paris Olympics?
Zambia women’s soccer captain Barbra Banda was ruled out of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations after failing the Confederation of African Football (CAF) gender eligibility tests.
The 24-year-old did captain her country at last year’s Women’s World Cup and on Sunday scored a hat-trick in the first half of their 6-5 loss to Australia at the Paris Olympics.
FIFA, which organises the Olympic football competition, still uses rules first published in 2011. They state that only men are eligible to play in men’s competitions, and the same for women. FIFA is reviewing its policy but there is no timeline for completion.
What happens in other sports?
South Africa’s double Olympic 800-metres track champion Caster Semenya has unwittingly been at the centre of this issue for more than a decade. Over the past couple of years, the governing bodies of athletics, cycling, swimming and rugby union have been tightening their regulations to exclude those with the advantage of going through male puberty from some or all women’s competition.
Semenya has not been allowed to compete in any distance between 400m and the mile since 2018 unless she maintains lower testosterone levels, which requires medication. She appeared at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in May to continue her challenge against World Athletics. The case is still being considered.
What does the IOC say about boxers?
The IOC has defended its decision to allow the two boxers to compete.
“I would just say that everyone competing in the women’s category is complying with the competition eligibility rules,” IOC spokesman Adams said on Tuesday. “They are women in their passports and it is stated that is the case.”
Conclusion
This ongoing debate highlights the need for sports federations to continually refine their policies to ensure fairness while promoting inclusivity. Balancing these objectives remains a complex task, requiring careful consideration and expertise across disciplines. As the conversation evolves, it is essential to foster an environment where all athletes can compete fairly and with dignity.