Banned governing body that's fueling outcry on Olympic boxers has Russian ties and troubled history
Source: Associated Press
Banned governing body that’s fueling outcry on Olympic boxers has Russian ties and troubled history
By GREG BEACHAM
Updated 8:25 AM EDT, August 3, 2024
VILLEPINTE, France (AP) — Nearly 17 months ago in New Delhi, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was disqualified from the International Boxing Association’s world championships three days after she won an early-round bout with Azalia Amineva, a previously unbeaten Russian prospect.
The disqualification meant Amineva’s official record was perfect again.
The IBA said Khelif and fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan had failed “to meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors.” The governing body claimed the fighters had failed unspecified eligibility tests — the same tests that ignited a massive controversy about gender regulations and perceptions in sports this week as Khelif and Lin compete at the Paris Olympics.
The IBA’s decision last year — and its curious timing, particularly related to Amineva’s loss to Khelif — would have raised warning signs around the sports world if more people cared about amateur boxing, or even knew more about the IBA under president Umar Kremlev of Russia.
The entire boxing world has already learned to expect almost anything from the Russian-dominated governing body ...
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-khelif-russia-boxing-b53b1edda21139d14a572bd35ca440e6