Key points:

• IOC President Thomas Bach claims the gender row at the Paris 2024 Olympics stemmed from a Russian fake news campaign.
• The conflict involved two female boxers previously banned by the International Boxing Association (IBA).
• Bach's comments highlight ongoing issues with misinformation from Russia aimed at the Olympic community.
• He also discussed the IOC's confidence in the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Games and its relationship with U.S. President Trump.

During a recent statement, Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), declared that the controversy surrounding two female boxers' participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics was largely fabricated by a Russian misinformation campaign. The ongoing dispute arose as the IOC, which had taken control over boxing in the Olympics following the suspension of the International Boxing Association (IBA), faced accusations from the IBA about allowing these athletes to compete despite a ban related to gender testing. "I would not consider this a real crisis because all this discussion is based on a fake news campaign coming from Russia," Bach explained in an interview.

The two boxers had previously competed without incident, including during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, making this gender row appear unfounded. The IOC has no universal regulations governing the participation of transgender athletes and allows each sport to devise its own rules. Bach emphasized that the controversy has been amplified by numerous misinformation campaigns attributed to Russia, which also included hacking attempts and pranks targeting IOC officials. The South China Morning Post reported Bach's consistent stance that the athletes in question were competing legitimately.

Furthermore, while discussing future events, Bach expressed optimism regarding the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, highlighting President Trump's support for the Games. He believes this strong partnership will be instrumental for the organizing committee and encourages continuity in collaboration with Trump's administration. Bach also alluded to positive developments for boxing's inclusion in the LA 2028 program, following the provisional recognition of World Boxing as the new governing body for the sport. "I hope this provisional recognition of World Boxing will mean in very short term a very positive signal," Bach stated.

For the original article, visit Reuters.