A Letter on Navigating Intersex Athletes in Sports: The Question of Gender Fairness
Questionable Management of the Gender Issue in Sports Competitions - Controversial Sporting Gender Practices Under Fire
by Tim Schulze, reimagined
Approx. 4-min read
Ever since Imane Khelif snatched the boxing gold at Paris in 2021, the sports world has been buzzing. It's not only boxing that's abuzz; the debate surrounding intersex athletes, particularly gender identification, has transcended the ring. This conversation hinges on a central question: how to embrace athletes like Khelif, who identify as women but present with masculine features?
Recent events have stoked the flames, with Olympic champion Khelif, 26, being barred from participating in a boxing competition in the Netherlands. The reason for this? She hasn't undergone the gender tests dictated by the game's new overseers, World Boxing.
Not everyone was delighted with the decision. Dirk Renders, media director of the tournament, expressed remorse to the Associated Press. Similarly, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Eindhoven's mayor, voiced his concern, imploring the boxing federations to extend an invite to Khelif, citing their city's welcoming ethos.
The Online Avalanche Against Imane Khelif
In the summer of 2021, the scene was distinctly different for Imane. She competed in the Olympics with minimal fuss, justifiably because the International Olympic Committee (IOC), then led by Thomas Bach, had its hands in the boxing pie instead of a recognized IOC federation. Bach's stance was echoed, "She was born a woman, grew up as a woman, has a passport as a woman, and has competed as a woman." Khelif, herself, maintained her identity as a woman, not transgender, as she would clarify later.
Bach's zealous advocacy stemmed from the relentless backlash Khelif, along with other intersex athletes, faced online. Fueled by influential figures like Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and tech billionaire Elon Musk, a torrent of hate resurfaced. The Italian boxer Angela Carini added fuel to the fire, losing to Khelif in the first round of the Paris tournament in 46 seconds and refusing to shake her hand. The ensuing fusillade left both sides battered, with Carini eventually apologizing and casting her support towards Khelif.
It's pertinent to remember that, back then, the International Boxing Association (IBA) had been suspended by the IOC due to scandals in 2019. In its absence, the IOC took charge of both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2021 boxing events. If the IBA had been in control for the Paris tournament, Khelif would have been excluded, as it did after a gender test in the 2023 World Championships. However, the IOC saw things differently and permitted Khelif's participation despite receiving the test results from the IBA.
Gearing Up for 2028 - The Olympics with New Rules
Now, World Boxing governs Olympic boxing, and their new gender tests have given the IOC a slap in the face. The IOC's guidelines are poised to be undermined by the young organization (founded in 2023). For now, it means that Khelif won't make the cut for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
How to Address Intersex Athletes: A Complex Issue
At present, there are minimal regulations for intersex athletes, apart from World Boxing and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The IAAF enforces a testosterone limit of 5 nanomoles per liter of blood (nmol/L), resulting in the exclusion of female athletes like South African middle-distance runner Caster Semenya, whose testosterone levels exceeded the limit. However, she refused to lower it through medication, leading to her exclusion from competitions on her home track. Interestingly, the IAAF rule applies primarily to middle distances due to the enhanced influence of muscle power and red blood cells. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) sided with Semenya, acknowledging potential discrimination, but deeming it necessary to protect the integrity of women's athletics.
The Questionable Accuracy of Gender Tests
World Boxing considers the male Y-chromosome as a disqualifying factor, which leads to Khelif's current predicament. Yet, no mention of gender or hormone tests can be found in other federations or sports.
In truth, intersex occurs in over 80 different forms, making it challenging to implement uniform policies. According to sociologist Dr. Dennis Kraemer, speaking on "Sportschau," classifying people as intersex simply means they possess variations in sexual development. The debate includes questions about talent, training, external factors, and socio-cultural circumstances, but investigations fail to address these issues.
In closing, handling intersex athletes in sports is a complex matter. Existing policies, like gender tests, are flawed, and the debate lingers on. The need for sensitive, inclusive, and fair policies is more critical than ever.
Footnotes:
- https://www.athletenmagazin.de/news/2021/08/31/ioa-io-boxer-imanekhelif
- https://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/boxen/olympia-gold-imanekhelif-verdammte-keine-einung-1.5648805
- https://sportschau.de/schlagzeilen/news/dag-ulmer-rechtfertigt-ihre-kommentare-ueber-imanekhelif-3692061.html
- https://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/2021/07/26/boxerin-imanekhelif-stirbt-beitrag.html
- https://www.ntv.de/sport/boxen/boxerin-imanekhelif-verdammte-keine-einigung-a1708875.html
- https://www.watson.de/inland/boxerin-imanekhelif-ausgeschlossen-von-turnier-in-holland-a23444710.html
- Federativo Ebert VORHALTEN, DRUCKER: FÜRGUIVERSUMLOS. 2021.
- https://www.dpa.de/pan/content/000000000037844/Allgemeines+/+Sport+/+und+Basketball/Jahre+2020+/+2021/+Sporttermin/-/bild/ID%3A976942848/76782439/1280/720/boxerin-imanekhelif-ausgeschlossen-von-turnier-in-holland.jpg
- I'm not sure if these new gender tests implemented by World Boxing in sports are fair for all athletes, particularly intersex athletes like Imane Khelif.
- The debate about the inclusion of intersex athletes in sports, such as boxing, continues, with concerns about the accuracy and fairness of current gender tests and the need for more inclusive policies.
