Olympics
Forty six seconds, two punches and a minefield
Thursday’s Olympic bout between Imane Khelif and Angela Carini quickly turned ugly off the ring and blowback permeated well into Friday, when the IOC was forced to address a barrage of questions regarding its handling of gender issues in boxing.
Khelif’s second right hand hit Carini’s nose and the International Olympic Committee right in the gut as it struggles to find a caretaker for the sport globally, after stripping down the International Boxing Association in 2023 because of governance concerns. It was a worst-case scenario of sorts for the Paris 2024 organisers when the fight was called just 46 seconds after the Italian decided to retire, alleging that the punch “hurt me a lot”.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams expressed his get-well wishes the next morning, stating that “we don’t like to see injury to any athlete, obviously, and hope that she makes a full recovery”. But by then, the bout had scaled into a full-blown tornado well beyond the Paris arena. Or as the Englishman himself eloquently put it, “a minefield”.
Boxing in the 66kg category, Khelif had been previously disqualified from the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi because she did not meet “eligibility criteria” according to the IBA. Yet, like Taiwan’s Lin Yu Ting, who boxes at 57kg and also failed such test by the global federation, she was still allowed to compete in the 2024 Olympics, the same way she did three years earlier in Tokyo.
The evident power struggle between both sports governing bodies has spilled into the political and social media arena as well, with politicians and celebrities aplenty chiming in the latest gender-spiked controversy: from US presidential candidate Donald Trump to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Citing athlete safety, the noise keeps rising while the safeguarding of the affected individuals also hangs in the balance, with online abuse another pressing concern.
“It’s a thorny issue which is part of a culture war-discussion. No one likes to see online aggression by anyone and we have had quite a bit of it. It’s unacceptable. We would hope that that stops. I’m not sure we can make it stop but it’s not helpful for the Games,” Adams understated. “These athletes are women. This was a made-up overnight test (by IBA). I don’t think we should give that any credence at all. If we do that, we start having the kind of witch hunts that we are having now.”
A delicate, controversial, complex, multi-layered subject that requires a serene discussion among experts in the field has been anything but since Carini’s almost immediate surrender. The matter of eligibility in this specific instance traces back the decision to the athlete’s passport and registered gender, according to the IOC. “The Algerian boxer was born female, registered female, lived her life as a female and boxed as a female. This is not a transgender case,” emphasised Adams. “This is not a man fighting a woman. Scientifically on this, there is consensus”.
Where consensus is lacking, however, is in how it is possible to establish a fair fight in such cases, especially regarding a combat discipline like boxing. One of the reasons that world sports did away with sex testing is the practical impossibility of applying a comprehensive, working, non-discriminatory protocol.
“For the time being, we have to go with the passport,” Adams argued. “We encourage a consensus. We have been addressing that for a while and it’s something to consider very seriously after the Paris Games. This is a minefield and we want a simple, black-and-white explanation of how we can determine this. That explanation does not exist neither in the scientific world nor anywhere else. If we can find a consensus, we will certainly work to apply that. Clearly that’s not going to happen at these Games but this is a question in all sports and we are open to listen to anyone with a solution”.
Openly critical of the IOC’s handling of the case, IBA is not expected to be part of that equation anytime soon, as the body presided by Thomas Bach has considered the Delhi disqualifications arbitrary decisions. “No one should change the rule during a competition. This decision was taken overnight by the CEO and maybe had something to do with the results beforehand, but we don’t really know. Fortunately, it’s not up to us to act on those suspicions because, if we did, we would probably be dealing with that forever,” the IOC spokesman said.
Adams also referenced sex testing, which ended in 1999. “I don’t think anyone from the athlete, political or scientific community wants to see a return to those scenes even if there were a sex test that everyone agreed with the criteria. I have spoken to some athletes who endured those sex tests in their teens and it was pretty disgraceful. Luckily it is behind us,” he explained.
The main controversy now lies with the Delhi testing protocol, whose results IBA considered “conclusively indicated” that both Khelif and Lin failed to meet the required eligibility criteria and gave them a competitive advantage over other female competitors. Since removed, the Algerian’s Paris 2024 bio profile stated that she had been disqualified from said world championships for elevated levels of testosterone.
While the IOC’s understanding is that it was indeed the case, it decided to erase that information after the Carini bout, alleging that there are many women who register higher testosterone levels than men and preferred not to elevate that test outcome into a truth.
“We have no knowledge of what the test where. They were cobbled together overnight to change the results. If you start working on suspicions, then we are in trouble and heading towards a gender-testing regime, which is not good for anybody. This woman has competed for a very long time against many opponents,” Adams repeated.
Like the IBA, the IOC insists that it always puts the interest of the athlete first. But walking the fine line between inclusivity, fairness and safety is a difficult balancing act. “A woman boxer is being stigmatised and potentially being forced out of competition. We need to look after them,” the Englishman reminded.
As for the controversy possibly undermining boxing’s options of making the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic programme, Adams denied such a notion. “We sincerely hope that it’s going to be in. It’s a good sport to watch that does a lot for socially deprived areas and people and we absolutely, actively want it to be in the Olympics. We took our role in the last two Games, but we are not a federation and don’t want to carry on. We encourage those who love boxing, particularly national federations, to work towards a new international body. I’m optimistic and the will is there by the IOC, which is important”.
Indeed, it is. Asked if he had watched the Carini-Khelif fight, Adams answered affirmatively, stating the obvious: that “it was over far too quickly”.
As for the controversy surrounding it, the IOC can only hope.
-insidethegames
BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK
Nigeria’s present and future Olympians are set to benefit from a landmark financial support programme after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that every athlete who competes at the Olympic Games will receive a grant of US$10,000 (about ₦15 million at current exchange rates) under its newly introduced “Fit for the Future Olympian Grant.”
The initiative, approved during the opening day of the IOC Session in Lausanne on June 24, marks a significant shift in Olympic policy, as it is the first time the Olympic body has introduced a universal financial benefit for all Games participants regardless of their performance or medal haul.
For Nigerian athletes, many of whom often struggle with inadequate funding before and after major international competitions, the grant is expected to provide a welcome financial cushion. The IOC said the programme would be available to every Olympian, irrespective of country or finishing position.
Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, Pau Gasol, said the grant is designed to recognise the value of simply qualifying for and competing at the Olympic Games.
“All Olympians, no matter where they’re from and regardless of where they finish, will be entitled to the grant,” said the former Spanish basketball star.
Gasol stressed that the payment should not be viewed as prize money but rather as recognition of the sacrifices athletes make in representing their countries at the world’s biggest sporting event.
“It is acknowledging the importance and relevance of being an Olympian, participating and representing your sport and your country at the Games,” he explained.
The IOC has committed US$140 million to the programme during each four-year Olympic cycle.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the grants would not reduce the revenue shares allocated to National Olympic Committees or International Federations.
She described the US$10,000 payment as an amount capable of helping athletes launch new ventures, continue their education or serve as “seed money” for life after sport.
“The amount was considered acceptable worldwide and could help someone start something or simply provide a financial foundation,” Coventry said.
The announcement is particularly significant for Nigerian athletes, who have repeatedly raised concerns over inadequate welfare, delayed allowances and limited post-career support despite representing the country at the Olympic Games.
The grant will apply to all Olympic competitors, including professional athletes from sports such as basketball, tennis and ice hockey. However, the IOC clarified that Paralympians are not covered by the programme.
Athletes who competed at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics earlier this year will also be eligible once the application process is completed.
The initiative comes amid increasing calls for the IOC to provide direct financial rewards to competitors. The debate intensified after World Athletics became the first international sports federation to introduce Olympic prize money at the Paris 2024 Games, awarding US$50,000 to every athletics gold medallist.
Although the IOC insists the new grant is not prize money, the move is widely regarded as a historic step towards greater financial recognition for Olympians worldwide.
During the Lausanne Session, the IOC also approved amendments to the Olympic Charter, including a stronger commitment to political neutrality, while discussions continue over the future participation of Russia in the Olympic Movement.
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Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face a confident and free-scoring Comoros side in the next round of the women’s football qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after the island nation completed a staggering 30-0 aggregate demolition of Sudan.
Comoros sealed their passage to the next stage with a 13-0 victory in the second leg of their first-round tie, having already recorded a commanding win in the opening match. The result saw the Coelacanthes score an extraordinary 30 goals across the two legs without conceding a single goal.
The emphatic triumph has generated excitement around the rapidly improving Comoros women’s national team, but a much sterner examination now awaits against Africa’s most successful women’s football nation.
Nigeria, ten-time African champions and one of the continent’s traditional powerhouses, enter the next round as overwhelming favourites. However, Comoros’ remarkable scoring exploits against Sudan suggest they will arrive with growing confidence and belief.
The Coelacanthes dominated both encounters from start to finish, displaying clinical finishing and defensive solidity that left Sudan with no answer. Their tally of 30 goals over two matches represents an astonishing average of 15 goals per game.
For Nigeria, the fixture will mark the beginning of another quest for Olympic qualification after missing out on the women’s football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Super Falcons, who recently impressed in their international friendly victories over Senegal in Ikenne, boast vastly greater experience and pedigree than their upcoming opponents. The nine-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions have consistently been among the continent’s strongest teams and remain Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national side.
Comoros coach Youssouf Abdallah has described his team’s performances against Sudan as evidence of the progress being made within the squad, but the encounter with Nigeria will provide a true measure of their development.
While Comoros’ record-breaking victory has captured attention across African football, the challenge of overcoming Nigeria represents a significant leap in quality. The Super Falcons have traditionally dominated lower-ranked African opponents and will be expected to continue their march towards a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The dates for the second-round qualifiers are expected to be confirmed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with the winners advancing further in the race for a place at the Olympic Games in the United States.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will begin their campaign for a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games from the second round of the African qualifiers after being granted a bye in the opening stage.
The draw, conducted on Wednesday in Cairo by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), placed Nigeria among 29 higher-ranked teams exempted from the first round of the series.
The Super Falcons will take on the winner of the first-round clash between South Sudan and Comoros in their opening fixture of the qualifiers.
A total of 35 nations are competing for just two available slots allocated to Africa for the women’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, underlining the intensity and high stakes of the qualification process.
The qualifiers will be contested over five knockout rounds on a home-and-away basis, leaving little room for error as teams battle for continental representation on the global stage.
The first round involves the six lowest-ranked teams—Sudan, Mauritius, Djibouti, South Sudan, Madagascar and Comoros—based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings. Winners from this stage will advance to face each other again before the 29 seeded teams, including Nigeria, enter the fray.
Nigeria will be aiming to consolidate their status among Africa’s elite women’s football nations, having qualified for the most recent Olympic tournament alongside Zambia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Although the Super Falcons boast a notable Olympic pedigree, having made their debut at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and subsequently appearing at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024, qualification has not always been easy.
The 16-year gap between their last two participations in Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024 illustrates the tough time they have endured in the qualifying series.
With the women’s football event at Los Angeles 2028 set to feature 16 teams—including hosts the United States—Nigeria’s path to qualification is expected to be demanding.
Attention will now shift to the preliminary encounter between South Sudan and Comoros, as Nigeria’s technical crew intensify preparations ahead of their second-round entry point.
For the Super Falcons, the mission is clear: successfully navigate a rigorous qualifying campaign and secure a return to the Olympic stage in 2028.
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