On August 2, The Telegraph reported on an incident that caused a huge controversy in the boxing world. Australia boxer Marissa Williamson Pohlman has publicly stated that intersex athletes should not compete with female competitors. The remark sparked a lot of discussion and heated controversy in the boxing world.
In the just-concluded boxing match at the Paris Olympics, Italy's Angela Carini was defeated by Algeria's Imane Khelif in 46 seconds.
Khelif is considered to have an "XY chromosome", having faced Australia's Williamson Pohlman at the Eindhoven Cup two months ago. Although Williamson Pohlman held out for the full three rounds, he was overwhelmed by Khelif's formidable power and eventually lost in the final.
Williamson Pohlman, 22, said in a post-race interview that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) needs to take a tougher stance on the phenomenon of transgender athletes with XY chromosomes competing against women. Her views have garnered a lot of attention and discussion in the boxing world.
Gender controversy in transgender players
Although the International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yuting at last year's World Championships due to failing a gender test, the IOC allowed them to compete with women in Paris. Williamson Pohlman expressed her concerns and dissatisfaction with the decision.
"Frankly, it's a dilemma," Williamson Pohlman said. She stressed that the IOC needs to take steps to ensure the safety of all athletes, not just the interests of one or two.
Eliminated in the round of 16, Williamson Pohlman avoided another clash with Khelif.
She recalls last year's World Championships in India, where Khelif and Lim underwent an IBA gender assessment, including a DNA test, which showed they had XY chromosomes instead of XX. From a biological point of view, they belong to men, but this information is obviously not publicly available.
Open discussion of gender issues
"If it were me, I would want to come forward and clarify my identity to prove that I'm a woman, but that's not the case right now," Williamson Pohlman said. She believes that athletes should be open about their gender identity to ensure fairness and transparency in the competition.
Williamson Pohlman also mentioned that she witnessed Khelif defeat Carini in one round. Carini suffered a nosebleed from a thump during the match, which further made Williamson Pohlman feel the power of Khelif.
"I did watch Angela's fight, but I don't know exactly what happened at the time," she said. "I think she got punched, and then her nose started bleeding in 30 seconds, and she protested and took off her helmet."
Williamson Pohlman expressed deep sympathy for Carini, praising her as a top competitor and recalling his experience with Carini. "Angela is excellent and I have a lot of sympathy for that," she said. ”
When asked if he felt the power of Khelif, Williamson Pohlman replied, "I do feel it, but I'll keep fighting, it's part of the movement." The only thing you want to do is win. So I kept throwing punches and I didn't win the showdown with Khelif, but that was out of my control and the people involved had to make the right decisions for the group as a whole and not for the individuals. ”
Williamson Pohlman believes that tackling this problem requires a more transparent and scientific approach by international sports organizations. She suggested that transgender contestants be more rigorously assessed for their gender identity and that the results of the tests be made public to ensure that the competition is fair.
"The IOC needs to take steps to ensure the safety of all athletes, not just one or two, but all athletes," she stressed. Williamson Pohlman called on international sports organizations to take into account the interests of all athletes and the fairness of competition when formulating relevant policies.
The controversy is being closely watched by the boxing community and the wider sports community. Different people and organizations have different views on this issue, with some supporting Williamson Pohlman's view that transgender players should not compete with female players; Others believe that every athlete's gender identity should be respected and given a fair chance to compete.
In the future, how international sports organizations deal with this issue will have a direct impact on the development of competitive sports such as boxing. Williamson Pohlman's call provides a new perspective and reflection on this issue, prompting further discussion and research on how to ensure fairness and safety while respecting every athlete.