Trump Slams Kamala Harris Amid Olympic Boxing Gender Eligibility Test Anger

Donald Trump has lashed out at Vice President Kamala Harris amid the ongoing outcry over an Algerian Olympic boxer’s gender eligibility.

The former president was one of a number of Republican figures who labeled Algeria’s Imane Khelif a “man” after she beat Italy’s Angela Carini in a bout which lasted just 46 seconds in Paris.

Khelif, as well as Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, were both permitted to box at the 2024 Olympics after being disqualified from the International Boxing Association [IBA]’s world championships in 2023 for failing unspecified gender eligibility tests. The IBA has been banned from the Olympics since 2019.

Khelif was assigned female at birth, does not identify as a trans woman, and her passport lists her as female. The International Olympic Committee [IOC] does not conduct tests for XY chromosomes or elevated levels of testosterone, and said in a statement that the current “aggression” against the two female athletes is based entirely on the “arbitrary decision” from the IBA which was taken without any “proper procedure.”

Reacting to Khelif’s victory, a spokesperson from Trump’s campaign continued to tie the Algerian’s appearance at the Olympics to the ongoing debate on trans women competing in female sports, while also attacking the 2024 Democratic presidential candidate.

“President Trump has been unequivocally clear that he will NOT stand for men competing in women’s sports—an insane and unfair reality that has been allowed to transpire because of Radical Left politicians like Kamala Harris,” Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Newsweek.

“When he returns to the White House, President Trump will take immediate action to protect women and girls and overturn the Harris-Biden administration’s radical rewrite of Title IX.”

Harris’ team has been contacted for comment via email.

Title IX is a landmark civil rights law, introduced in 1972, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or education program that receives funding from the federal government.

President Joe Biden’s administration introduced sweeping changes to the law, which went into effect on August 1, to include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The changes have not been implemented in 26 states amid challenges from Republican attorneys general.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams defended the inclusion of Khelif in the wake of the Algerian’s win. Khelif previously won a silver medal at the IBA’s 2022 world championships, and competed at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

“I repeat that all the competitors comply with the eligibility rules. But what I would say is that this involves real people,” he said. “And, by the way, this is not a transgender issue. I should make this absolutely clear.”

Carini GiveSendGo

In the wake of her defeat, an online fundraising campaign to pay Carini the $196,000 which Italy awards its gold medal athletes was set up by Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert.

The GiveSendGo donations page has since raised more than $65,000.

“The people are FED UP with men in women’s sports. I sure hope Kamala Harris is taking notice. She’s supported this BS from day one and still does. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” Boebert posted on X, formerly Twitter.

After withdrawing from the fight against Khelif, Carini said she needed to “preserve my life” and that “one punch hurt too much” for her to continue.

Carini has now said that she wants to apologize to Khelif amid the outcry and that she has a right to compete in the Games.

“All this controversy makes me sad,” Carini told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. “I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.”

Carini added she regrets not shaking hands with Khelif following the fight, as the Algerian tried to do.

“It wasn’t something I intended to do,” Carini said. “Actually, I want to apologize to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke.”

The IBA released a statement last week saying that Khelif and Lin “did not undergo a testosterone examination” when they were banned last year, but were subject to “separate and recognized” tests that will remain confidential.

IBA president Umar Kremlev told the Russian news agency Tass that the pair were disqualified from the world championships because “it was proven they have XY chromosomes.”

In a statement, the IOC said: “Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination.

“All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit. As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport.

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

“The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure—especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years. Such an approach is contrary to good governance.”