This was an Olympics sideshow that turned into a shambles.
The boxing officials banished from Paris 2024 turning up anyway and bringing bedlam.
“Woman, why do you attack me?” their medical expert, Ioannis Filippatos, bellowed at a reporter.
This two-hour news conference surrounding the gender eligibility controversy at the Paris Olympics featured remote contributions from Russia and the ostracised head of the International Boxing Association (IBA).
IBA CEO Chris Roberts and coaching official Gabriele Martelli as IBA President Umar Kremlev is seen on the big screen. Pic: Reuters/Layli Foroudi
Umar Kremlev claimed to be protecting women’s sport while raging against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and even segments in the opening ceremony that offended Christians.
Speaking through technical glitches and loud screeching sounds in the cramped room, Kremlev stoked fresh doubts over gender eligibility of fighters rather than providing promised clarity.
But remember at the heart of all this are two women – Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif – whose right to compete as women is being publicly debated.
Imane Khelif. Pic: AP
All this discussion over testosterone levels overshadowing guaranteeing their first Olympic medals and now chasing gold.
There can be questions of the safety of opponents.
Lin Yu-ting. Pic: AP
But is no one at the IBA listening to Khelif’s plea to show “human dignity”?
And how credible are the tests and the motivations to disqualify Lin and Khelif? And why did it take from the first set to be taken in 2022 for the next ones to be conducted in 2023 given the IBA’s doubts?
“Good question,” responded Chris Roberts, a former British soldier turned CEO of a boxing body cut loose by the IOC after being compromised by Russian ties and integrity concerns.
It was only during the 2023 world championships that the boxers were suddenly disqualified by the IBA for failing gender eligibility tests.
Kremlev made claims about elevated testosterone levels, while an IBA statement has insisted there were no testosterone tests.
And at this news conference called to provide clarity, there were only more questions. At times hiding behind the need for confidentiality.
“We don’t have a conspiracy theory,” Mr Roberts said. “We’re not able to disclose the results of any tests but you can read between the lines of where that sits.”
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But no fresh proof was provided.
And as the news conference became increasingly chaotic and heated in a cramped boiling room, another news conference sprang up inside.
Fellow Algerian boxer Roumaysa Boualam arrived at the back with a flag to defend Khelif.
She said: “What is happening is disgusting. I’m here to support my friend, I am here for the truth and to say (the allegation) is not correct and not true.
“Tomorrow, she will fight and we have to support her and wish her to win gold. We are so happy in Algeria, we support her and all the country know what she’s been through.”
The IBA is against her.
Kremlev claimed to be standing up to preserve women’s boxing but the actions of his own association jeopardised boxing’s place at the Olympics over the year.
It is why the IOC is organising boxing at these games.
And this farcical news conference could have seemed an attempt to dismantle the credibility of the Olympics.
Led by a sports official with ties to President Vladimir Putin who has railed against Russia’s effective ban from the Olympics over the war in Ukraine.
At the very least, attracting the world’s media to listen to two hours of rants against the IOC succeeded in stirring more disruption at Paris 2024 before the boxers at the centre of all this return to the ring dreaming of gold.
