Paris.- The International Boxing Association raised new questions and had difficulty answering others in a chaotic press conference, where the central topic was the controversial eligibility tests that led the organization to abruptly suspend Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting from last year’s World Championship.
The IBA continued its stance of not disclosing details of the tests and their results, as well as the methodologies, which led to the disqualifications of Algeria’s Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin. Such decisions created a huge scandal at the Paris Games, with both of them being the victims of attacks on social media.
IBA Secretary General and CEO Chris Roberts said the Algerian and Taiwanese Olympic Committees had requested that information about the two boxers not be disclosed at the Paris news conference.
The former chairman of its medical committee, a Greek obstetrician named Ioannis Filippatos, said the IBA carried out blood tests on only four of the hundreds of female boxers at the 2022 World Championships.
The IBA said it tested Khelif and Lin in response to complaints from other teams.
IBA President Umar Kremlev, an acquaintance of Russian President Vladimir Putin who spoke via video link from Russia, said tests showed elevated levels of testosterone.
However, that claim contradicts a statement by the IBA on July 31, when it said Khelif and Lin “did not undergo a testosterone test but were instead subjected to a separate, recognised test, so the details remain confidential.”
IOC spokesman Mark Adams said last week that the IBA had provided the Olympic body with the results of tests on Khelif and Lin, but that they were “so flawed that it was impossible to take them seriously.”
As on social media, Kremlev devoted much of his time to attacking the IOC and its president Thomas Bach, who has described the “hate speech” against the two boxers as “totally unacceptable.”
“We will start proceedings against Mr. Bach and others,” Kremlev said. “I will call on all prosecutors, all judges to investigate this corruption that comes from him. The IBA will always protect and defend athletes.”
The IBA said it called the news conference in Paris to answer questions and provide details about the tests that have fueled the extraordinary scrutiny of Khelif and Lin, who will battle for medals this week at Roland Garros.
The IBA event, however, started an hour late and was plagued by technical problems and long rants about matters unrelated to the wrestlers. There were boos and shouted questions.
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