William Lindsey Aug 4, 2024

An aspect of the Imane Khelif brouhaha that deserves careful attention is the role that the Russian International Boxing Association played in setting up the conditions for the transphobic outrage that we've witnessed.

it's well-documented that Khelif was raised female, considered female in the very conservative, anti-LGBTQ culture of Algeria, and has always competed as a female boxer.

#ImaneKhelif #trans #transphobia #gender #Russia
/1

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/olympics-boxer-imane-khelif-anti-trans-rcna164721

Why the anti-trans right is attacking two female Olympic boxers

Conservative politicians, including former President Donald Trump, and other anti-trans voices such as author JK Rowling accused Imanf Khelif of being a man.

MSNBC
Show threadWilliam Lindsey 

All of a sudden, last year, the Russian IBA demanded that she and Lin Yu-ting be gender-tested, and released highly dubious reports questioning their gender identity, refusing to disclose how they were tested and what their tests actually showed.

Cue the hard right when the Olympics got underway this year: the Russian group had prepped the hard right for outrage focusing on Khelif, and the hard right did not disappoint.

#ImaneKhelif #trans #transphobia #gender #Russia
/2

Aug 4, 2024 at 12:23pmWeb
Show threadWilliam Lindsey Aug 4, 2024

It's as if this was all set up by Russian puppet masters who want to inflame transphobia and hysteria over gender matters globally and especially in Western democracies, to keep people divided, angry, ignorant — and many folks willingly comply and dance to the Russian tune, as we've seen in spades this past week. The US "religious right" is like putty in the hands of Putin.

And J.K. Rowling has shown us all over again exactly who she is.

#ImaneKhelif #trans #transphobia #gender #Russia
/3

Show threadWilliam Lindsey Aug 4, 2024

As Greg Beacham reports, IBA president Umar Kremlev is closely connected to Vladimir Putin. Beacham writes,

"The IBA’s decision last year — and its curious timing, particularly related to Amineva’s loss to Khelif — would have raised warning signs around the sports world if more people cared about amateur boxing, or even knew more about the IBA under president Umar Kremlev of Russia."

#ImaneKhelif #trans #transphobia #gender #Russia #IBA
/4

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/what-is-the-iba-governing-body-behind-olympic-boxing-storm-has-russian-ties-troubled-history

What is the IBA? Governing body behind Olympic boxing storm has Russian ties, troubled history

The allegations that Olympic boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting failed an eligibility test for women's competition have been made by only the International Boxing Association. The Russian-dominated organization is also the only governing body tha...

PBS News
Show threadWilliam Lindsey Aug 4, 2024

Kremlev continues spreading unfounded rumors about the gender of Khelif and Lin, and:

"This week, he released a series of English-subtitled videos on social media packed with insults, saying the Olympics 'burns from pure devilry' and calling [IOC chair Thomas] Bach 'evil' and urging him to 'resign urgently.' Kremlev has ended some of them by saying he’s sending Bach diapers so he doesn’t soil himself, then punching the camera."

#ImaneKhelif #trans #transphobia #gender #Russia #IBA
/5

Show threadWilliam Lindsey Aug 4, 2024

A BBC report on Russia's involvement features a photo showing Kremlev and Putin together and notes Kremlev's "close ties to the Kremlin."

"In June 2023, 69 of 70 Olympic federations voted to strip the IBA of its status."

#ImaneKhelif #trans #transphobia #gender #Russia #IBA
/6

https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/articles/cnk4427vvd2o

Boxer gender eligibility: Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting row explained

As a row over eligibility continues to overshadow boxing at the Olympics, we take a detailed look at the background to the dispute.

BBC Sport
Show threadUltra Verified 🇺🇦 🇬🇱Aug 4, 2024

@wdlindsy

#sleepercell

Show threadRaven OnthillAug 4, 2024
@wdlindsy you're overthinking it. A Russian lost and they decided to attack her opponent as trans.
Show threadWilliam Lindsey Aug 4, 2024

@ravenonthill If you want to think that, you must feel free to do so. First, the IBA didd not attack the two women boxers as trans. It said that they both had XY chromosomes, but refused to release any information about how the specifics of the test.

Second, given Russia's proven track record of sowing division in Western democracies around trans and other issues, and the close ties of IBA's head Kremlev to Putin, I'm going to keep asking about Russia's motives here.