JK Rowling screams at Olympic authorities to ‘stop this madness’ after IOC announces ‘disgusting’ decision against two boxers

JK Rowling has urged the Olympic authorities to “put an end to this madness” following the announcement that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will permit two boxers to participate in the upcoming Paris Games. These athletes, Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan and Imane Khelif from Algeria, were disqualified from last year’s world championships due to their failure to meet gender eligibility criteria.

Both boxers were eliminated from the global championships held in Uzbekistan in 2023 after DNA testing revealed they possessed XY chromosomes, leading to their exclusion from the events. The president of the International Boxing Association (IBA) emphasized that the ban was necessary to maintain the “fairness and integrity” of the championships.

In a controversial decision, the IOC has chosen to overlook the IBA’s ruling, with the responsibility for enforcing regulations at the Paris Olympics resting with the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU) of the IOC.

Yu-ting is set to compete against an unnamed opponent in the 57kg category on Friday, while Khelif will face Italian boxer Angela Carini in the 66kg category.

JK Rowling has publicly criticized the organizers of Paris 2024, questioning the potential consequences of allowing such participation. She expressed her concerns on X, asking, “What will it take to end this madness? A female boxer left with life-altering injuries? A female boxer killed?”

Former world champion Barry McGuigan also voiced his disapproval, stating, “It’s shocking that they were actually allowed to get this far, what is going on?” Additionally, ex-world champion Ebanie Bridges described the decision as “sickening” on the same platform.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has defended its decision, asserting that it was guided by regulations established in previous Olympic events and noting that both athletes possessing female passports have met the necessary eligibility requirements.

In a statement, the IOC remarked, “The PBU utilized the boxing regulations from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (which were applicable during the Tokyo 2020 Games and the associated qualifying events) as a foundation for its own guidelines.”

It further explained, “These regulations were derived from those of the Rio 2016 Games. The PBU aimed to limit changes to reduce the impact on athletes’ training and to ensure uniformity across Olympic events.”

Reports indicate that Algeria’s Khelif has spoken out regarding the backlash prior to her competitions, claiming that the criticism is part of a “conspiracy” aimed at sabotaging her prospects.

The 25-year-old athlete reportedly stated to Agence France-Presse, “There are individuals conspiring against Algeria to prevent our flag from being raised and to hinder our chances of winning the gold medal.”

As the Algerian boxer prepares for her match in Paris in 2024, her coach has expressed confidence, stating that she is “focused, fierce, and ready.”