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Louise Thomas
Editor
Logan Paul has walked back his statement calling Algerian boxer Imane Khelif a man after being called out on social media.
The YouTuber, 29, made a now-deleted post on X after the quarterfinal match between Italy’s Angela Carini and Khelif in the women’s 66kg competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Khelif landed a heavy punch on Carini, forcing her to withdraw just 46 seconds in.
“This is the purest form of evil unfolding right before our eyes,” Paul posted. “A man was allowed to beat up a woman on a global stage, crushing her life’s dream while fighting for her deceased father. This delusion must end.”
Khelif was disqualified from last year’s World Boxing Championships in Delhi hours before the gold medal match for failing to meet the gender eligibility criteria of the International Boxing Association. Though the governing body did not specify why the boxer failed the test, it clarified that Khelif did not have a testosterone exam. Taiwan’s world champion Lin Yu-ting lost her bronze medal at the same competition after also failing to meet the criteria.
Neither Khelif nor Lin identify as transgender or intersex.
After being called out for referring to Khelif as a man, Paul deleted his post and made a new one. “Oopsies,” he posted. “I might be guilty of spreading misinformation along with the entirety of this app. Although she’s been previously disqualified for failing a ‘gender test’ and has XY chromosomes, some sources say Imane Khelif was born a biological woman.”
“I stand by my sentiment that biological men should not compete against biological women in any sport and if you disagree you’re a sick f***.”
Shortly after, he posted a poll on X with the question: “Is my opinion that men shouldn’t be allowed to compete against women transphobic?”
The International Olympic Committee has defended its decision to allow Khelif to participate, saying: “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.”
The International Boxing Association was stripped of its recognition by the Olympic Committee last year over governance and financial issues.
The committee said the eligibility rules were based on those of the Tokyo Games and they couldn’t 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,” it said, referring to Khelif and Lin.
“The IOC is saddened by the abuse that the two athletes are currently receiving. Every person has the right to practise sport without discrimination.”
Paul’s brother Jake Paul, a boxer, has offered Carini to fight at one of his Most Valuable Promotions events. He has called her match with Khelif “sickening” and “a travesty”.
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