"I believe that they make other competitors unsafe": xQc says Olympian Imane Khelif should not participate in female boxing category

By Richik "anarkiddie" Bhattacharya

Modified Aug 02, 2024 11:28 GMT

Amid the controversy surrounding Imane Khelif's participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Twitch and Kick star xQc has claimed that the Algerian boxer should not be participating in the female boxing category of the tournament.

For those unaware, reports suggesting that Imane Khelif has differences in sex development (DSD), which gives her a higher level of testosterone, have gone viral after her Italian opponent bowed out of a match at the 2024 Paris Olympics, claiming she was fearful of injuries. The incident has given rise to massive backlash online, with users demanding Khelif be removed from the tournament.

While the IOC has stood by its decision to allow Imane Khelif to participate, xQc has claimed that her presence at the event puts other competitors in danger. On his most recent stream, the streamer argued that there are weight regulations in boxing to keep the fights safe:

"There's a bunch of regulations with weight and a bunch of stuff to make it so that it safe, people don't get injured dramatically and people don't get injured dramatically and people don't f**king die, okay? That's the current take."

He added that despite having a genetic condition, Khelif should not be able to participate in the female boxing category as it puts the other participants in "'harm's way":

"With my understanding of the facts, it seems to me right that this person, maybe it's a condition and I get it. I believe that they make other competitors unsafe and put them in harm's way when it can be just avoided"

---

xQc's take goes against IOC's statement about allowing Imane Khelif to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics

While some streamers, like HasanAbi, have spoken out against the online hate targeted towards Imane Khelif, claiming that the anti-trans rhetoric is detrimental to both trans and cis women, xQc has a different response.

xQc spent a couple of minutes discussing the situation on his recent stream. He argued that because Khelif reportedly has more testosterone levels than most women, she is a danger to her opponents. He also acknowledged news reports that expand on Khelif's condition.

According to International Boxing Association (IBA) president Umar Kremlev, DNA tests before the IBA World Championships in 2023 proved that Khelif "had XY chromosomes.”

However, a statement from The International Olympic Committee (IOC), shared on their official website, opined that the IBA made an "arbitrary decision" that year:

"These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA. Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process."

The IOC's statement also noted that the eligibility criteria for the 2024 Paris Olympics were developed based on prior tournaments sanctioned by the committee.

Readers should note that the IOC does not recognize IBA as a ruling body, meaning their decision to allow Imane Khelif to box at the Olympics is unlikely to change.