Olympics boss Thomas Bach made a stunning – and hugely embarrassing – error when trying to put an end to the gender row that has rocked the Games.
NOT A ‘DSD’ CASE
The German chief, 70, told reporters that the issue, which centres around the participation of two boxers who were reported to have failed a gender test last year, was ‘not a DSD case’.
However, within seconds of the press conference concluding IOC officials rushed to clarity that he had misspoken and had meant to say this was not a ‘trans case’ and not ‘not a DSD case’.
Had it been accurate, Bach’s comment would have been a significant development which may well have put an end to an argument that has raged across the world.
Questions have been raised over the participation of Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting, who were disqualified from last year’s World Championships, after they were reported to have failed gender tests.
Neither are trans, but officials from the Russian backed IBA, which issued the ban, said both had XY chromosomes, the male gene.
Bach’s comment would appear to have blown that claim out of the water.
WHAT IS DSD?
DSD is a rare condition previously known as disorders of sex development or ‘intersex’ conditions, which affects between 0.05 and 1 per cent of the population.
It is usually diagnosed at birth when a baby’s genitalia may not be obvious. Some may be born with female genitalia but have the male XY chromosome, as well as hidden testicles.
