International Olympic Committee (IOC) defended its decision on Thursday to allow two female boxers to compete in the Paris Olympics amid a heated gender debate.

The IOC claimed the athletes faced unfair “aggression” due to what it called an arbitrary decision from the International Boxing Association (IBA).

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who won her round of 16 welterweight bout against Italian Angela Carini in just 46 seconds, and Taiwan’s double world champion Lin Yu-ting, who is set to compete on Friday, have both been cleared for the Olympics.

Both Khelif and Lin were disqualified from the 2023 World Championships for not meeting the IBA’s eligibility rules, which prohibit athletes with male XY chromosomes from competing in women’s events.

However, after stripping the IBA of its recognition last year due to issues with governance and finances, the IOC has taken over the boxing competition for Paris.

The IOC criticised the IBA’s disqualification of the boxers as “arbitrary,” sparking controversy.

“These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA,” the IOC said. “Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process. According to the IBA minutes available on their website, this decision was initially made solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO.”

Different sports organizations have different regulations regarding testosterone levels for women’s events, with some prohibiting athletes who have experienced male puberty.

Differences in Sexual Development (DSD) include uncommon conditions related to genes, hormones, and reproductive organs, where some individuals possess XY chromosomes and male-level testosterone even if they were raised as females.