The only transgender boxer to fight at the 2024 Olympics in Paris has called for fighters who fail gender tests to be banned from competitive boxing.
Hergie Bacyadan, who identifies as a transgender man, was allowed to compete in Paris by the International Olympics Committee (IOC).
While Bacyadan identifies as a man, he has never formally transitioned and has not undergone hormone therapy. However, Bacyadan’s coaching staff still refer to him as ‘she’ and ‘her’ and insist that the boxer is 100 per cent biologically female.
The Philippines fighter was beaten at the Olympics against Tokyo silver medalist Li Quan of China, who is a biological woman.
But after watching fighters such as Khelif, who allegedly has XY chromosomes and sparked controversy in her 46-second win over Angela Carini, he thinks the rules should be made to bar fighters who fail gender tests from competing.
“In sparring it’s OK, but if they have XY chromosomes in competition, they should abide by the rules,” Bacyadan said, as quoted by the Daily Mail.
It comes after Algeria’s Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who were judged last year to have failed gender eligibility tests and were banned from fighting in the world championships, made it through to the latter stages of their respective Olympic categories.
Responding to questions about his own participation in the Games, Bacyadan believes there should not be an issue as he is biologically female and has not tried to gain an advantage by taking hormones or steroids.
“I am trans at heart, but I did not take any hormones or steroids to look like a man,” Bacyadan added. “If I compete in the women’s division, I don’t think there’s an issue.”
A Filipino translator explained: “She [Bacyadan] is competing in the women’s division but in her heart and mind, when she is outside the boxing ring, is like a man.
“Her tests are all Y so she doesn’t know about other competitors.”
After his loss, Bacyadan wrote on social media: “It’s sad to think of losing, but I’m still very thankful that I got to the Olympics. It’s a big deal to me.”
All eyes will be on Khelif, 25, as she takes on Luca Anna Hamori of Hungary in the next round, while Lin faces Australia fighter Tina Rahimi in the featherweight category.
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