“IOC is to blame,” Martina Navratilova criticizes Olympic committee for allowing trans-athlete to compete in women’s boxing

Imane Khalif's participation in the Summer Games has been a controversial subject recently.

“IOC is to blame,” Martina Navratilova criticizes Olympic committee for allowing trans-athlete to compete in women’s boxing

Martina Navratilova (via Imago)

Martina Navratilova has slammed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for allowing a trans-athlete to compete in women’s boxing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Algerian Imane Khalif is competing in the women’s 66-kilogram category in the French capital.

However, Khalif was disqualified from competing at the Women’s World Championship in New Delhi in March last year after a test found a high level of testosterone.

The Algerian Boxing Committee had then rejected the disqualification and labeled the decision as a ‘big conspiracy’. Surprisingly, Khalif met the eligibility of IOC’s Paris 2024 Boxing Unit, which has more relaxed rules than the International Boxing Association.

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The Algerian will fight a natural-born woman Angela Carini in the Round of 16 at the Paris Olympics. A social media user called the whole affair disgusting.

Absolutely disgusting that this Italian lady Angela Carini has to fight this Algerian man Imane Khalif in the Olympics. On Aug 1st. How is this fair..????
One post on X (formerly known as Twitter) read

Navratilova responded to the post and slammed the IOC for allowing Khalif to play in the women’s category.

It sucks. Either way the woman loses- fight and you lose and could get badly injured or don’t fight in protest and many years of training down the drain. It sucks and the @IOC is to blame.
Martina Navratilova said

The Paris Olympics is expected to have the highest number of trans athletes despite the Olympic Committee admitting they have placed strict requirements on trans athletes competing in women’s sports.

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Martina Navratilova heaps praise of Leander Paes after induction into Tennis Hall of Fame

Away from the debate on gender, Martina Navratilova praised Indian great Leander Paes after he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame recently.

Martina Navratilova, Leander Paes
Martina Navratilova, Leander Paes (Image via X)

Paes had an illustrious career winning 18 Grand Slam titles (doubles and mixed doubles). Navratilova partnered with him in the mixed doubles and won the 2003 Australian Open and Wimbledon titles.

Leander, it was truly my honor to play against you. I enjoyed it a lot more when I played with you. You have done your family proud; you have done our sport proud and, most of all, you have done India proud.
Martina Navratilova said

Navratilova retired in 2006 after winning 167 singles titles and 177 doubles titles, both of which are Open Era records.

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