Imane Khelif's teammate gatecrashes 'chaotic' press conference over Algerian's failed gender eligibility tests

An Algerian teammate of Imane Khelif gatecrashed a press conference organised by the International Boxing Association (IBA), in order to defend the Olympic boxer.

Khelif's participation in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris has caused major controversy, with some criticising the decision to allow her to compete following her previous failed gender eligibility tests.

Kehlif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting were both disqualified from last year's boxing World Championships in New Delhi, India after failing to meet the IBA's eligibility criteria.

The IBA said in a statement at the time that the pair had been disqualified "to uphold the level of fairness and utmost integrity of the competition" adding that they "did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognised test, whereby the specifics remain confidential".

IBA president Kremlev told Russian news agency TASS that tests had found that both Khelif and Lin had "XY chromosomes".

Despite those claims, Khelif and Lin were both cleared to compete at the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This is because boxing is no longer overseen by the IBA at the Games – with an ad-hoc body, the Paris Boxing Unit (PBU), tasked with administering the sport on behalf of the IOC instead.

In July of last year, the IOC made the decision to strip the IBA of its status as the boxing's world governing body amid concerns over its governance of the sport and alleged links to the Russian government.

On Monday, the IBA held a press conference to attempt to clarify the failed gender eligibility tests for Khelif and Lin and to repair its reputation. But the event spectacularly backfired on the organisation.

Sky Sports News senior reporter Geraint Hughes, who was in attendance, gave an eyewitness account of how it unfolded.

"It was the most extraordinary, chaotic, shambolic and badly organised international sporting press conference I have ever attended," said Hughes.

"It started an hour late and contained numerous technical glitches. Throughout the press conference, people were shouting over questions and shouting over answers.

"Several journalists and other people who were attending left in disgust, at not just the language, but the tone of the answers from the IBA participants; in the main from the president Umar Kremlev, who was speaking virtually in Russian.

"He interjected often and made slanderous remarks about the IOC president Thomas Bach."

Hughes added: "The conference was utterly farcical, because at times the translation was missing or was poor and slow, meaning people didn't actually know what was being said. It was an extraordinarily hard occasion to listen to."

Midway through the press conference, two members of Algeria's Olympic team – including boxer Roumaysa Boualam – staged a protest against the IBA's claims about Khelif.

"Towards the end of the press conference it became evident that two members of the Algerian Olympic delegation, two women, had made it into the room. They began demonstrating. They removed some outer garments of their clothing, a jacket, and revealed they were wearing Algerian tops. They were waving a flag," added Hughes.

"It turned out one of them is a boxer here at the Olympics [Roumaysa Boualam]. She is in the 50kg category and is Khelif's best friend. She spoke passionately about Khelif being a girl at birth, registered as a girl, growing up as a girl and growing up as a woman, how she is absolutely entitled to be boxing in Paris and that she is a hero and a champion.

"From my point of view, in my 28-year journalism career, both at Sky and previously with the BBC, I have attended some strange things, but I have never been at a press conference like that. It was absolutely extraordinary."

Kehlif and Lin are both through to the final four of their respective competitions at the Games – guaranteeing them at least a bronze medal as there is no third-place fight in boxing at the Games.

Khelif will take on Thai boxer Janjaem Suwannapheng in the last four of the welterweight competition on Tuesday night, while Lin will face Turkey's Esra Yildiz in the semi-finals of the featherweight competition on Wednesday.