WASHINGTON, D.C. – Independent Women’s Forum issued the following statement condemning the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) failure to protect the most basic foundation of sport — fairness, equality, and safety.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif (XY) dominated World Champion Lang Liu of China (XX) to win an Olympic gold medal. Despite worldwide outrage over Khelif’s indisputable and legally binding tests proving he has male levels of testosterone and a clear advantage over women, the IOC has allowed Khelif to sail through every round barbarously beating the world’s top female boxers — and now is rewarded with a top podium gold medal.
“The IOC has completely failed women. IOC President Thomas Bach, unable to define what a woman is, has failed women and has no business representing female athletes. Every sponsor and organization that has provided aid and comfort to the IOC throughout this ambush on women has failed women,” said Victoria Coley, Vice President of Communications at Independent Women’s Forum.
Riley Gaines, ambassador for IWF and host of OutKick’s “Gaines For Girls” program, said, “Ask yourself what this is teaching the next generation. It’s teaching boys it’s okay (actually, it’s encouraged and rewarded) to beat up on women. It’s teaching girls to ignore their instincts, take the abuse with a smile on their face, & don’t dare question it…or else.”
On Wednesday, July 31, Our Bodies, Our Sports, the nation’s first and only coalition of women’s advocacy organizations fighting for fairness in women’s sports, issued a letter to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) demanding the USOPC immediately and forcefully condemn the IOC for failing to protect women and for permitting males to compete in combat sports.
“The consequences of the IOC’s failure to protect women against male violence will not be insignificant. The physical abuse of women on an Olympic stage will undermine the integrity of all Olympic events by grossly increasing the risks of lifelong injury or even death for female athletes. All who fail to speak up against this atrocity are complicit in it,” the letter said.
The next day, on Thursday, August 1, the Our Bodies, Our Sports coalition sent a letter to all 535 members of Congress urging swift action against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and any other sport organization that has supported the IOC in condoning barbarous practices that disregard the basic safeguarding of women. Our Bodies, Our Sports has requested a response from Senate and House Leadership.
OBOS women’s rights organizations, feminist organizations, sports organizations, female Olympicans and lawyers include the Independent Council on Women’s Sports, Women’s Declaration International USA, Concerned Women for America, Independent Women’s Forum, Women’s Liberation Front, Women’s Sports Policy Working Group, Champion Women, Independent Women’s Law Center, Young Women for America, Independent Women’s Network, International Consortium on Female Sport, and Independent Women’s Voice, and renowned athletes Riley Gaines and Olympians Martina Navratilova, Donna de Varona, and Nancy Hogshead.