Australian boxer Caitlin Parker questions Games' 'dangerous' boxing gender call

Murray Wenzel

AAP

3 Min Read

31 Jul 2024

Imane Khelif (L) of Algeria and Taiwan’s Lin Yu‑ting (R) were thrown out by the International Boxing Association which has since lost sanctioning power of the Olympics due to integrity concerns. Credit: Instagram @imane_khelif_10 @boxing_ting

Caitlin Parker believes the Olympics’ approval of two boxers who had failed gender eligibility tests is “incredibly dangerous” ahead of a potential showdown with one of her teammates in Paris.

Australian boxing captain Parker led from the front on Wednesday, dominating Mexico’s Vanessa Ortiz with a unanimous points decision to reach the quarter-finals of the 75kg division.

It followed an earlier loss for Shannan Davey to Bulgaria’s Rami Mofid, with Charlie Senior still to fight later in the day.

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Marissa Williamson will make her Olympic debut on Wednesday in a women’s 66kg division now in the spotlight after the International Olympic Committee confirmed two boxers who were disqualified from the world championships last year for failing gender eligibility tests will be allowed to fight in Paris.

Imane Khelif (66kg) of Algeria and Taiwan’s Lin Yu‑ting (57kg) were thrown out by the International Boxing Association which has since lost sanctioning power of the Olympics due to integrity concerns.

The IBA claimed the boxers’ chromosome tests came back as XY, which is typically the male chromosome, rather than a female’s XX.

The IOC is in charge of Paris’s boxing program and has instructed the sport to find a new sanctioning body by early next year to ensure the future of the sport in the Games.

Kellie Anne Harrington (left) of Ireland and Imane Khelif of Algeria during the Women's Light (57-60kg) Quarterfinal 1 at the Kokugikan Arena on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. Credit: Adam Davy - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images

Williamson and Khelif will meet in the quarter-finals if they both win on Wednesday.

“I don’t agree with them being allowed to compete in sport, especially combat sports,” Parker said.

“It can be incredibly dangerous. I don’t agree with it.

“It’s not like I haven’t sparred men before. But you know it can be dangerous for combat sports and it should be seriously looked into.”

“Yes, biologically ... genetically they are going to have more advantages and in combat sports it can be dangerous.“I really hope the organisations get their act together so that boxing can continue to be at the Olympics.

“It’s the oldest Olympic sport. Women’s boxing was only introduced in 2012 and I want to see it for the next 100, 200 years to come.”

Australian boxing coach Santiago Nieva said there would be no complaints if the pair met in the ring.

“She was disqualified, but I have not seen her fail any gender test,” he said.

“The IOC said they are matching the criteria from the IOC so that’s the only thing you can go by.

“We fought her two months ago. She’s good, she’s tough, she’s strong, but I wasn’t under the impression we were fighting a man.

“We are prepared to fight anyone in front of us here.

“I understand this issue is not as black and white as many people want to make it.

“We don’t have all the information so I don’t want to speculate on that. We have competed against them before, we have fought them before. We are ready to do that again and beat them.”