By Olaitan Ibrahim
The International Boxing Association has announced plans to take legal action against the International Olympic Committee over transgender participation at Paris 2024, citing former US President Donald Trump’s recent executive order banning transgender athletes from women’s sports.
The IBA said Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” order validates their stance on protecting female boxers from “unfair competition” and will pursue legal action against the IOC for allowing Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting to compete and win gold medals at the Olympics.
“President Trump’s order to ban transgender athletes from women’s sport validates IBA’s efforts to protect the integrity of female sports,” IBA President Umar Kremlev said.
“Our actions aim to ensure gender equality in boxing. We urge other International Federations to follow IBA’s example, as we are uniquely positioned to address this issue and advocate for our athletes’ rights.”
The announcement comes amid growing controversy in Nigerian boxing, where interim Nigeria Boxing Federation president Azania Omo-Agege has called for a National Assembly probe into the federation’s affiliation with World Boxing, citing concerns over transgender policies.
“Let them come and explain to Nigerians how they will take the Nigeria Boxing Federation to a boxing association that supports transgender athletes which is against our constitution without properly consulting with board members and stakeholders,” Omo-Agege said.
The IBA revealed it would file complaints with attorneys general in Switzerland, France, and the USA regarding the IOC’s decision to allow “ineligible athletes” to compete in Paris.
Kremlev encouraged affected boxers to pursue legal action against IOC President Thomas Bach and his team, offering free legal support.
“This is a clear violation of human rights, an outrage towards the female boxers, and simply a crime that should be punished accordingly. In my personal opinion, Thomas Bach should take full responsibility for this,” Kremlev added.
The IBA also announced stricter gender eligibility verification measures for the upcoming Women’s World Boxing Championships in Niš, emphasising their commitment to “providing a fair and equitable sporting environment.”
Meanwhile, Omo-Agege has called for former NBF president Kenneth Minimah to explain the federation’s World Boxing affiliation before lawmakers, revealing that proper consultation with stakeholders was not conducted.