IBA chief takes swing at IOC over Khelif controversy

Association's president demands Olympic gender-eligibility reform

The International Boxing Association has demanded the Olympic governing body apologize to athletes unfairly affected by its decision to allow controversial pugilist Imane Khelif to box at Paris 2024.

Among those deserving an apology from the International Olympic Committee, according to IBA, is Chinese boxer Yang Liu, who was overpowered by Khelif in a lopsided Olympic final on Aug 9 to lose the women's 66kg gold medal to the Algerian at the Paris Games.

IBA president Umar Kremlev, speaking at a news conference in Istanbul last week, reiterated his stance against the IOC's permission on Khelif's Olympic eligibility, hitting out at former Olympic chief Thomas Bach for ignoring the IBA's pre-Games warning of Khelif's abnormal gender test results.