Olympics Leader Celebrates 'Full Gender Parity'
Outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach stated that the Olympic Games in Paris were held “with full gender parity.” For more details, read the full article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Two boxers whose eligibility to participate in women’s sports is openly contested won gold medals in Paris.
At the closing ceremony of the Games on Sunday, the outgoing president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, praised the “gender parity” of the Paris Games. His remarks followed controversy surrounding women’s boxing and the eligibility of two competitors.
In his farewell address, as the Olympic flame was extinguished, Bach asserted that the event in France was “the first Olympic Games delivered fully under our Olympic Agenda reforms: younger, more urban, more inclusive, more sustainable. The first ever Olympic Games with full gender parity.”
He described the Games as “a celebration of the athletes and sport at its best” and referred to them as “Seine-sational,” in homage to the river that runs through the heart of the city.
Gold medals were awarded to two boxers – Imane Khelif from Algeria and Lin Yu-ting from the Chinese Taipei team – in their respective weight categories, amid considerable scrutiny. Both athletes were cleared to compete despite being disqualified from last year's World Championships organized by the International Boxing Association (IBA) for failing sex verification tests.
The participation of Khelif and Lin incited public backlash, particularly after Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew mere seconds into her bout with Khelif, visibly upset and stating that she had never been punched so hard.
Despite the outcry, Olympic officials defended their decision to allow Khelif and Lin to compete. Bach stated in a press conference: “if somebody is presenting us with a scientifically solid system how to identify men and women, we are the first ones to do it.” He further emphasized that the IOC would not “[fall] prey to a defamation campaign by a not credible organization with highly political interest.”
This comment seemed aimed at the IBA, which has been labeled “Russia-linked” by supporters of the two boxers. The IBA, led by Russian Umar Kremlev, has resisted the international sports community’s stance by permitting Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in its competitions.
Most international sports federations have imposed bans on Russia and Belarus due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, although no similar restrictions were placed on countries involved in other international hostilities during the Olympic Games.
On Saturday, Bach announced he will not pursue a new six-year term as head of the IOC when his current term ends next year, stating that the organization would be “best served with a change in leadership.”
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
At the closing ceremony of the Games on Sunday, the outgoing president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, praised the “gender parity” of the Paris Games. His remarks followed controversy surrounding women’s boxing and the eligibility of two competitors.
In his farewell address, as the Olympic flame was extinguished, Bach asserted that the event in France was “the first Olympic Games delivered fully under our Olympic Agenda reforms: younger, more urban, more inclusive, more sustainable. The first ever Olympic Games with full gender parity.”
He described the Games as “a celebration of the athletes and sport at its best” and referred to them as “Seine-sational,” in homage to the river that runs through the heart of the city.
Gold medals were awarded to two boxers – Imane Khelif from Algeria and Lin Yu-ting from the Chinese Taipei team – in their respective weight categories, amid considerable scrutiny. Both athletes were cleared to compete despite being disqualified from last year's World Championships organized by the International Boxing Association (IBA) for failing sex verification tests.
The participation of Khelif and Lin incited public backlash, particularly after Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew mere seconds into her bout with Khelif, visibly upset and stating that she had never been punched so hard.
Despite the outcry, Olympic officials defended their decision to allow Khelif and Lin to compete. Bach stated in a press conference: “if somebody is presenting us with a scientifically solid system how to identify men and women, we are the first ones to do it.” He further emphasized that the IOC would not “[fall] prey to a defamation campaign by a not credible organization with highly political interest.”
This comment seemed aimed at the IBA, which has been labeled “Russia-linked” by supporters of the two boxers. The IBA, led by Russian Umar Kremlev, has resisted the international sports community’s stance by permitting Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in its competitions.
Most international sports federations have imposed bans on Russia and Belarus due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, although no similar restrictions were placed on countries involved in other international hostilities during the Olympic Games.
On Saturday, Bach announced he will not pursue a new six-year term as head of the IOC when his current term ends next year, stating that the organization would be “best served with a change in leadership.”
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
