PARIS - An Australian woman boxer warned Wednesday it could be "incredibly dangerous" after it emerged that two fighters in the women's competition at the Paris Olympics failed gender eligibility tests last year.
Imane Khelif from Algeria is set to fight on Thursday in the women's 66kg category while Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan has a first bout in the 57kg division on Friday.
Caitlin Parker is in the 75kg weight class so will not face either, but she made her stance clear.
"I don't agree with that being allowed, especially in combat sports as it can be incredibly dangerous," said the 28-year-old, who defeated Mexico's Vanessa Ortiz unanimously on points to reach the quarter-finals.
"It's not like I haven't sparred with guys before, but it can be dangerous for combat sports, and it should be seriously looked into.
"It is good that these things are coming out and it's being put under the spotlight to be looked into further."
Khelif and Lin were disqualified from the 2023 world championships in New Delhi, which was run by the International Boxing Association (IBA), after failing to pass eligibility tests.
Lin was stripped of her bronze medal after undergoing "biochemical" tests mandated by the IBA.
However, the International Olympic Committee is running the boxing in the French capital because of governance, financial and ethical issues at the IBA.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters: "Everyone competing in the women's category... is complying with competition eligibility rules.
"They are women in their passports and it's stated in there that they are female.
"These athletes (Khelif and Lin) have competed many times before for many years, they haven't just arrived, they competed in Tokyo (in 2021)."
The IOC website for accredited media in Paris acknowledged that the 25-year-old Khelif was disqualified from the world championships after "elevated levels of testosterone failed to meet the eligibility criteria". - AFP