(Photo by Ibex73 via Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 4.0)
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August 9th, 2024 was a triumphant day for Algeria’s Imane Khelif as she took home a gold medal in women’s boxing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. As she embraced her team and celebrated her remarkable achievement, one cannot help but reflect on the fraught journey Khelif faced to reach this moment — a journey that also highlights the ongoing discrimination faced by women of colour and LGBTQ+ athletes.
During the Round of 16 when Khelif faced Italy’s Angela Carini in a match that lasted just 46 seconds, Khelif landed decisive blows, prompting Carini to forfeit the match. After the match concluded, Carini refused to shake Khelif’s hand and fell to her knees in tears. Despite lasting less than a minute, this match ignited social media with intense verbal abuse and discrimination directed at Khelif.
Why is Imane Khelif Receiving Backlash Online?
Following this match, social media quickly became a battleground of opinions and speculation, with both ordinary users and celebrities weighing in on Khelif’s victory. Before Khelif’s next match against Hungary, Hungarian boxer Anna Luca Hamori posted a picture on her Instagram account. This picture depicted a petite woman dressed in blue facing off against a beast-like figure dressed in red – the same colour Khelif wore against Carini. Although Hamori later deleted the picture, it was clear that Hamori implied Khelif as being the beast in the picture. This is just one example of the hostility Khelif faced. Much of the hateful rhetoric sympathized with Carini’s loss while also directing misinformed vitriol at Khelif, questioning her biological gender and eligibility to compete in women’s boxing at the Olympics.
These hateful and misinformed posts stemmed from Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting failing an unspecified but “recognized” test administered by the International Boxing Association in 2023 ahead of the World Boxing Championships. Both athletes were disqualified on the basis of women athletes not being eligible if they have XY chromosomes. As the online backlash focuses on failed test results no longer recognized by the Olympics, it warrants a closer look into what these tests revealed and the organization that administered them.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) oversaw Olympic boxing until 2023, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) withdrew its recognition of the IBA due to governance issues, lack of financial transparency, unjust boxing regulations, and other concerns. The IBA has a less-than-stellar record of these issues as outlined in the IOC’s report. For example, the IBA was accused of fixing match results to benefit certain boxers. Additionally, Kremlev, the current IBA president, also scrapped an election contesting his presidency. As a result of these actions and more, in 2023, the IOC withdrew their recognition of the IBA, raising the question of whether the IBA’s claims are trustworthy.
The tests administered to Khelif and Lin were vaguely described. In a statement issued by the IBA they state, “the athletes did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognized test, whereby the specifics remain confidential.” According to Geraint Hughes of Sky Sports, who attended the IBA’s press conference concerning the tests, journalists were not given information on what the tests were or the results. The lack of transparency into these tests was further corroborated by the IBA’s board meeting minutes where they discuss disqualification but go into almost no details about which tests were administered. The IBA maintained that a chromosome test was performed despite results not being released. However this in itself is vague as professionals have stated that chromosomes are not a sole determinant of an individual’s sex as there are many other factors to consider too.
What can be confirmed is that Khelif and Lin were eligible to participate with backing from the IOC, “Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination. All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU).”
What Does This Case Reveal About Discrimination In Sports: Transphobia and Performative Feminism
If there is one thing that Imane Khelif’s case highlights, it is the pervasiveness of transphobia in the sporting industry and broader society. Khelif’s case is far from the first time gender was a central topic in sports. The online vitriol directed at Khelif reflects a persistent right-wing sentiment that trans athletes should not compete in the Olympics, despite meeting eligibility requirements. Contrary to popular right-wing beliefs that transgender women athletes should not compete as they have too much testosterone, trans women have no biological advantage over cis women or in elite sports. In fact, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports finds that for trans women, biological data conducted has had a very limited scope, many times with flawed methodologies.
What all this vitriol highlights is the blatant disregard for trans persons’ mental, physical, and emotional health. What this misinformation does is fuel further online vitriol against trans persons’ which has real life consequences, such as health-related impacts (feelings of fear and alienation) and threats of physical and verbal harassment.
This case also highlights the performative advocacy of women’s rights by individuals who manipulate the topic to serve their own agendas. As many feminist activists and intellectuals have argued, trans rights are women’s rights. Having subjective views or discluding all women from achieving equal rights is not only regressive but harmful. When individuals like Author J.K Rowling, a figure notorious for posting harmful transphobic rhetoric (as she did against Khelif), questions the human rights trans individuals are entitled to, she reinforces gender stereotypes which are oppressive to all women. Simply put, that is not what women’s rights are trying to accomplish.
Additionally, touting women’s rights for one’s own agenda is just as performative and harmful. In this case, we saw former U.S. President Donald Trump supposedly “stand up” for women’s rights at his campaign rally stating that allowing Khelif and Lin to box is “demeaning to women.” However, this is coming from the same man who facilitated the US Supreme Court’s repealing of Roe v Wade – making it increasingly difficult for women in the U.S. to gain access to abortion and reproductive healthcare, a matter of public health and human rights.
The Pervasiveness of Racism in Sports
Khelif’s treatment by the public also highlights the racism leveled at women of colour and LGBTQ+ athletes. Several women of colour who excel in their sports have been misgendered, oftentimes this stems purely from these athletes’ looks. For example, Brittney Griner, an accomplished basketball player, has been misgendered numerous times, usually due to her height (six feet eight inches tall). Being a woman of colour in sports usually means these athletes have to endure judgemental comments about their bodies because they might not meet Eurocentric ideals of femininity. Thus, leading to these athletes’ entire participation in sports being called into question even though they do not owe anyone an explanation.
In addition to scrutiny about their bodies, women of colour and LGBTQ+ athlete’s credibility is also frequently called into question. In a press conference in 2008, tennis legend Venus Williams was questioned on how she feels about the public’s skepticism that her family fixes her matches when she is opposing her sister Serena Williams. Not only does this question downplay all of Venus’ hard work, but it also questions her credibility and her professionalism as an athlete. However, skepticism tends to occur often as women of colour and LGBTQ+ athletes have their credibility called into question for simply being very good at their sport
Such discrimination results in unfair and even excessive testing against women of colour and LGBTQ+ athletes too. The IBA had mentioned they tested Khelif and Lin following complaints from other teams. Serena Williams has stated that she faces discrimination when she is tested far more than her competitors. Williams has also been the target of extreme racism, misogyny, and white supremacy throughout her career evidenced by when she was said to be animalistic looking following her 2012 Wimbledon victory. These excessive tests reflect a broader trend of unfair profiling against athletes who do not conform to societal expectations of what female athletes should look like. Many times, test results go on to highly impact the careers of these athletes, such as runner Caster Semenya who was sidelined for having too high testosterone levels.
What Can Be Done About This Ongoing Discrimination?
Given the persistent discrimination faced by these athletes, what can be done? On August 9th, Khelif launched a cyberbullying lawsuit with the Paris prosecutor’s office against notable figures who discriminated against her on X (formerly Twitter). According to the prosecutor’s office, they will launch an investigation into “cyber harassment based on gender, public insults based on gender, public incitement to discrimination and public insults on the basis of origin.”
Figures included in this lawsuit are J.K Rowling and Elon Musk, among others. This is one step towards combating hate online directed towards LGBTQ+ athletes and athletes of colour, particularly women. This lawsuit has the potential to set a precedent by clearly asserting that such toxic behaviors and comments are unacceptable, that such vitriol will not be repeated nor tolerated against athletes in the future.
At an individual level, combating hate directed at athletes involves actively challenging misinformation when it appears. Holding individuals accountable, both online and in person, is crucial in making them aware of the harmful impact of spreading false information. This approach can foster a more responsible online environment and promote better conduct. Additionally, it is vital to hold social media platforms accountable, as they possess the tools to regulate the content disseminated on their platforms. However, it is important to acknowledge that holding someone accountable is not always easy, nor is it always safe or accessible for everyone. In cases where direct accountability is not feasible, offering support to victims of hate speech and promoting positivity can be equally impactful.
Despite these challenges, women athletes of colour and LGBTQ+ athletes continue to defy the odds and redefine their respective sports. Khelif has not only demonstrated her exceptional boxing skills but has also shown the world what an athlete of colour can achieve, despite significant barriers. Today, Imane Khelif is celebrated as a hero in her country and serves as an inspiration to many young women worldwide, underscoring the broader significance of her journey.
Edited by Majeed Malhas
