'...Choose Not To Cheat': JK Rowling After 'Biological Male' Vs Italian Woman Boxer Olympics Bout Ends In 46 Seconds

Harry Potter series author J.K. Rowling has joined the chorus condemning the Olympic bout between Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Italy’s Angela Carini, which has sparked a massive gender row. The 59-year-old British writer lashed out on her social media handle after the boxing welterweight fight between Khelif and Carini ended in 46 seconds.

The two fighters exchanged only a few punches before Carini abandoned the bout. The Italian boxer did not shake her opponent’s hand and was left crying in the ring. The controversy arose as Khelif, who won her Round of 16 welterweight bout against Carini, and Taiwan’s double world champion Lin Yu-Ting, who is fighting on Friday, have been cleared to compete in the Olympics.

Battle Of Chromosomes

Both Khelif and Lin had been disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after failing International Boxing Association (IBA) eligibility rules that prevent athletes with male XY chromosomes competing in women’s events. However, the IBA was stripped of its recognition by the IOC last year over governance and finance issues, with the Olympic body running the boxing competition in Paris.

Khelif, who won a silver medal at the International Boxing Association’s 2022 World Championships, was disqualified from last year’s championships shortly before her gold-medal match due to elevated testosterone levels. Khelif’s situation underlines the complexities surrounding athletes with differences in sex development (DSD) and the criteria for competing in gender-segregated sports. While specific details about her DSD condition have not been publicly disclosed, her case has drawn debate regarding fairness in women’s sports.

‘This isn’t sport’

“Watch this (whole thread), then explain why you’re OK with a man beating a woman in public for your entertainment. This isn’t sport. From the bullying cheat in red all the way up to the organizers who allowed this to happen, this is men revelling in their power over women,” Rowling, known for her conservative views on the gender debate, said in one of the posts on X.

‘Choose not to cheat’

In another post, Rowling raised the issue of Differences of Sex Development (DSDs). “Someone with a DSD cannot help the way they were born, but they can choose not to cheat; they can choose not to take medals from women; they can choose not to cause injury,” the British author said while quoting an opinion piece from The Telegraph. In an op-ed cited by Rowling, UK columnist Suzanne Moore argued that biology matters in sport.

“Both Khelif and a boxer from Taiwan named Lin Yu-Ting have previously been disqualified from the Women’s Boxing World Championship by the International Boxing Association (IBA) for having an unfair advantage over female boxers. This was not simply due to naturally high levels of testosterone but because they both have XY chromosomes. A simple cheek swab is usually enough to confirm this. Women have XX chromosomes. Their biology is male,” wrote Suzanne Moore.

Olympic Committee defends

This criticism came as the International Olympic Committee defended its decision to allow two female boxers to compete at the Paris Olympics despite a gender row, saying the pair were facing “aggression” because of an arbitrary decision. The IOC said the IBA decision to disqualify the boxers last year was arbitrary and the main cause for the furore. “These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA,” the IOC said in a statement.

“Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process. “According to the IBA minutes available on their website, this decision was initially taken solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO.” Some sports have limited the levels of testosterone allowed for athletes competing in women’s competition, while others ban everyone who has been through male puberty.

‘Arbitrary decision?’

Differences of Sexual Disorder are a group of rare conditions involving genes, hormones and reproductive organs. Some people with DSDs are raised as female but have XY sex chromosomes and blood testosterone levels in the male range. The IOC said the rules of eligibility were based on those of the Tokyo Games in 2021 and cannot be changed during a competition. “The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure – especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years,” the IOC said.

“The IOC is saddened by the abuse that the two athletes are currently receiving,” it added. “Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination.” In a statement, the IBA condemned “inconsistencies in eligibility” at the Paris Games. “Both Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting post testing, did not meet the required eligibility criteria to compete within the female category of our respective events,” the body added. “The urgent nature of the decision (to disqualify the boxers) was justified, as the safety of our boxers is our top priority.”

(With agency inputs)

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