World boxing introduces mandated testing

[impossibletoday]

https://x.com/RealWorldBoxing/status/1958144619079770572?t=qA9DJpJw1sKHL9tVlI32Gg&s=19

Mandatory.........

Given that men punch far, far harder than women and women have thinner skulls than men, this is an excellent move in reducing harm to women boxers.

I repeat my point: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/articles/c74nlxn3vm2o

Women have different neck strength also.

And the threshold for concussion is lower in women, that’s why they have different cut offs for measured forces in rugby.

Most importantly, a woman can consent to risk that injury if she knows it’s another woman opposite. But if it’s a man, she either accepts that considerably higher risk, or forfeits at her cost.

I don’t really see much validity in the argument “getting punched in the head is bad, so it’s window dressing to stop men punching women in the head” 🤨

Yes there is a strong argument being made that boxing should be banned because of the risk of brain injury. Although many sports have a risk of brain injury (including football, horseriding and rugby) - only boxing or similar combat sports have causing head trauma as a way to win.

I would think that people who are at all concerned about head injuries in boxing would definitely be super duper concerned about women fighting men. Which is the exact subject of this thread, by the way.

You think stopping men from beating up women in the ring, which the women didn't consent to is 'window dressing'?

Jesus, your misogyny is off the charts. Why do you hate women so much?

I’m sorry, I was being facetious. Dr Emma Hilton (@fondofbeetles) at Sex Matters explains it better than me.

Any posters who think boxing is inherently unsafe are welcome to start a thread discussing how best to push for it to be banned altogether. This thread is about one of the ways to make it safer for female fighters whilst it continues to exist.

Translation:
"Boxing can kill you, which is why it should be banned completely, but because I hate boxing so much rather than accept it's going to remain around for a while I'm going to ignore the fact that males in the women's sport make it even more dangerous and tell them they should suck it up because if a woman or two dies it serves my moral righteousness. To hell with trying to protect anyone who takes up the sport, it's all about me being right about how awful boxing is, and if a few women have to die to illustrate my point, so be it"

Well done on your superior moral values.

World Boxing has specified that sex categorisation in boxing is determined by sex. They have provided clear and transparent information about what steps they will take should any of the 0.018% of the population whose chromosomes are neither XX or XY wishes to conpete.

This means that transwomen who compete will compete in the male class (one needs to be male to be a transwomen). It means that transmen can compete in the female class, so long as they haven’t used testosterone.

There are significant wider issues relating to safety and boxing, that apply to all classes. These arise independently of this thread.

In brief, gender identity is irrelevant to categories in boxing, DSDs aren’t.

Tbh it doesn’t matter even if that is the case.

Someone could break a leg, wake up and be diagnosed with a heart murmur, have an epileptic fit, become pregnant, have a mental health episode, have parents of ill health, have to move area/country away from facilities.

Theres a million reasons a natal woman could do all this training but when push comes to shove is unable to compete. This is just life.

There are always some contributions that are akin to those who state ‘I hate sport so I couldn’t give a fuck whether male people compete as female people. I just wish people would be kind!’

yeah it's like "ok great thanks for dropping by to let us know you don't care about sport. Is it ok that we continue talking about sport or do you need to tell us more about how you don't care before we continue?"

I agree that a sport that involves trying to inflict deliberate damage to your opponent is questionable.

Possibly because my judgment is clouded by having uncles and cousins who took part in amateur boxing when they were young, I make a distinction between pro boxing - 12 or 15 rounds - and amateur/Olympic boxing - 3 x 3 minutes [men] and 4 x 2 minutes [women] rounds.

Maybe my judgment is also clouded by being Irish, and the only Olympic event in which we have a reasonable chance of getting a medal - or 'medalling' as they irritatingly call it - is boxing! C'mon Katie! Hon the parish, Kellie!

Serious injury is unlikely though not impossible, a few amateur boxers have suffered fatal blows, but it is very unusual.

Pro boxing is all about the money, and although there are improved rules about medical examinations, fitness to box, referees stopping the bout to end 'unnecessary punishment', etc., money talks louder than safety -and anyway the whole idea is to try to inflict such a bad injury to your opponent that he is rendered unconscious for a period of at least 10 seconds, and incapable of protecting himself even if he manages to struggle to his feet. So there's nothing safe about pro boxing, whatever 'safety' rules they bring in.

With women's pro boxing on the increase, it's likely that more women will suffer severe or even fatal injuries in the future, because a very fit, strong woman hitting another woman very hard over 10 x 2 minute rounds can inflict serious damage.

Obviously, a very fit, strong man hitting a woman, even over just the 4 x 2 minute rounds of an amateur bout, is frighteningly likely to do serious damage to her.

So I sort of agree with you in the grand scheme of things, PollyNomial, but as long as amateur boxing continues, it needs to keep men out of the women's competitions, so kudos to World Boxing for these clear and comprehensive rules.

"I hate this sport so much I'm fine with women being the collateral damage that helps it gets banned, because women are disposable like that and this means I 'win' the argument"

"I hate this sport so much I'm fine with women being the collateral damage that helps it gets banned, because women are disposable like that and this means I 'win' the argument"

It really does make female athletes politically expedient in someone’s desire to ban a sport. Never once thinking that banning the sport is likely to take decades and in the meantime, female boxers are risked.

https://x.com/icons_women/status/1962557864956043385?s=46&t=ZX_bLozRqm8etdGICMcAv

Seems like Khelif put in an appeal re the decision to under take mandatory testing.

Interesting. Surely it would be quicker and cheaper just to do a cheek swab test no?

I'd guess that their hope, rather than to be cleared for the long term, something which is clearly impossible, was just that, as a temporary measure, IK would be allowed to enter this month's championships pending this having all been fought out properly.

Winning this tournament would have meant, even in, longer term, permanent exile from the sport, a higher profile, and hence more scope for endorsements from wokeco, a more lucrative book deal, etc.

Imane Khelif: Olympic champion appeals to Cas over World Boxing's decision to introduce genetic sex testing - BBC Sport

I wonder if there is anyway that WB will be able to demand the results of previous sex tests in court so that it will be available to the public. I suspect there will be much energy spent on demanding privacy after it became known what condition Semenya had.

No female pronouns in the BBC Sport article. Could be a coincidence 🤔

I noticed that. They seemed to go to great lengths to avoid them..."The Algerian", "The 26 year old" etc

I noticed that. They seemed to go to great lengths to avoid them..."The Algerian", "The 26 year old" etc

I guess as well, if you know you're certain to fail the swab test, you might as well go down the legal route. Because what is there to lose? Apart from the Algerian federation's money, but if they're willing to foot the bill I can see why an athlete in IKs position would think let them.

I wonder if the penny is dropping with those that insisted Imane is female yet? So easy for it to be cleared up if Imane would just take the test.