A 24-page report from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women in sport examines how women’s participation is treated within Olympic governance. The document highlights persistent gaps in equity across disciplines, funding, media exposure, and decision making, arguing that these issues amount to a broader human rights concern for female athletes. It traces patterns of unequal treatment from youth programs to elite competition and calls on sports authorities to guarantee fair opportunities, safe training environments, and a voice at the table when policies are shaped. The report frames sport as a platform for dignity and safety, not merely a stage for performance, and it urges transparency, independent review mechanisms, and stronger protections against discrimination and harassment.
The report describes scenarios connected to the Paris Games in which female boxers could face opponents whose gender identities were described as highly ambiguous, and it notes that the IOC declined to run a formal gender verification test. It stresses that non-invasive and discreet methods exist that could help determine gender from a cheek sample, signaling a push for clearer procedures while raising questions about privacy and consent. The document emphasizes that any procedure should be guided by consent, privacy safeguards, and proportionality, and it suggests that clear, non-stigmatizing criteria be established before any competition begins.
During the 2024 Summer Olympics a controversy erupted when Algerian boxer Iman Khelif secured the 66 kilogram gold medal in a final against China’s Yang Liu, with the result decided by a unanimous vote from the judges. The episode intensified public debates about scoring integrity, fairness in selection, and how gender identity narratives intersect with performance in combat sports at the Olympic level. It also raised questions about media coverage, athlete privacy, and the obligations of organizers to protect athletes from stigma while ensuring a level playing field at the Games.
According to the report, Khelif did not pass a gender test at the International Boxing Association world championships held in India the year prior. Similarly, Taiwan’s Lin Yuting failed a comparable assessment at that event. The IOC subsequently cleared both athletes to compete in the Olympic Games, and Lin Yuting later won a gold medal at the Games as well. These cases illustrate the ongoing tensions around gender verification policies, the due process concerns raised by athletes and advocacy groups, and the need for consistent, rights-respecting rules across sports.
In a related note, a former official from the Russian Federation’s foreign ministry criticized what he described as a decline in the governance of world sport, arguing that policy debates have grown opaque and that oversight mechanisms often lag behind the realities of competition. The report situates such critiques within a broader assessment of how international bodies shape sport policy, athlete welfare, and cross-border competition, highlighting the demand for reforms that center athletes’ rights and safety.