"I don't agree with it" - Boxer Caitlin Parker becomes the first Olympian to speak against the participation of trans athletes in women's boxing

By Animesh Pandey

Modified Aug 01, 2024 10:47 GMT

Caitlin Parker has spoken out against the inclusion of trans athletes in combat sports, including women's boxing. The Australian middleweight boxer who won a silver medal last year at the 2023 AIBA World Championships has called them being allowed to compete in women's sport "dangerous" and something she doesn't agree with.

She said (via Telegraph):

"I don't agree with them being allowed to compete in sport, especially combat sports. It can be incredibly dangerous. I don't agree with it."

In 2023, AIBA had disqualified two boxers, Lin yu-Ting from Taiwan and Imane Khelif from Algeria, from the Women's World Boxing Championships held in New Delhi. While Lin yu-Ting was competing in the bantamweight category, Imane Khelif was competing in the light welterweight category.

However, despite calls of concern from various athletes, the IOC allowed the two to participate at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Khelif will be facing Angela Carini of Italy in the pre-quarterfinals, while Lin yu-Ting will be up against against Sitora Turdibekova of Uzbekistan in the pre-quarterfinals.

The Algerian Olympic committee (COA) has termed the concerns voiced over Imane Khelif's participation as "baseless propaganda."

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Former athletes have echoed Caitlin Parker's sentiments

There are several other female athletes who share the same views as the Australian pugilist and are against the inclusion of trans athletes in women's sports, including at the Paris Olympics.

Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, who share Caitlin Parker's views - Getty Images

Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer and one of the most vocal advocates against the inclusion of trans athletes, has thoroughly criticized the IOC's decision through several posts on her X account.

"Imagine training your WHOLE life, getting good enough to earn a spot on the Olympic team, hoping to win an Olympic medal......then you're told you have to fight a man. That's the tragic reality of these women," she wrote in one.

Former tennis champion Chris Evert also slammed the inclusion of the said athletes on the same lines as Caitlin Parker and supported Parker's statement on her X account.

"Me neither...," she wrote.

Yet more criticism came from Martina Navratilova, a former tennis legend and a gender equality activist. She too echoed Parker's sentiments through a series of tweets.

"Beyond unfair - this is dangerous and totally ignores what happens to women athletes... Shame on IOC for allowing this!" she wrote in one.

Navratilova maintained that she is only concerned for the safety of the women overall. The former Grand Slam champion has been clear that the safety of the female athletes should not be compromised.