Latest news with #SharronDavies
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Imane Khelif 'knew they were biologically male and were cheating' at the Olympics, claims Sharron Davies, as she calls out 'criminal negligence' after 'leaked medical report'
Former Team GB star Sharron Davies has claimed Imane Khelif knew they were 'biologically male' when competing in the Olympics last year after a 'leaked' medical report appears to indicate the controversial champion is a biological male. The alleged medical test on Khelif at the 2023 World Championships comes less than two days after World Boxing ruled the boxer would need to undergo sex screening to be eligible for any future appearances in female events. Khelif was deemed eligible to compete in France despite World Boxing having known about the 2023 more than a year's previous knowledge about the test, with IOC president Thomas Bach previously questioning the test's legitimacy. The 26-year-old won a women's boxing gold medal representing Algeria boxing at the Paris Games. Now, in light of the recent 'leaked' medical report, former GB star Davies has called out Bach and the IOC's decision to let Khelif compete in the event. Speaking on GB News, Davies said: 'The truth was always there. We all knew that this person had two positive sex screening tests. And the people that are to blame for all of this are the IOC. 'Imane Khelif knew he was biologically male. He knew he was cheating. His whole team knew — nobody cared what damage they might inflict on a female.' Sharron Davies OBE calls for medals to be stripped over the IOC's 'shambolic' failure on 'trans' athletes. — GB News (@GBNEWS) June 2, 2025 Sharron Davies claimed Imane Khelif knew they were 'biologically male' at the Olympics 'If you look back to those press conferences during the Olympic Games last summer, the things that Thomas Bach was saying are never excusable. They allowed male on female violence for the whole world to watch. 'The fact that they turned around and said that those tests that they had been informed about, a year prior, were not legitimate - when they were performed and accredited by the US College of Pathology. 'When people ask, do I have sympathy? No I don't because Khelif knew that they were biologically male. They knew they were cheating. 'They knew they had an unfair advantage and nobody cared. They didn't care what damage they might have inflicted on a female'. In a similar response to the news, JK Rowling branded the news 'a win for women'. The document seen by 3 Wire Sports via Telegraph Sport, states: 'Chromosome analysis reveals male karyotype.' Rowling, who has weighed in heavy on the debate in the past, has taken to social media to give her view on the news. 'It's a win for women because they won't be battered to death in the ring by men,' wrote the Harry Potter series author. 'If you had any idea what physical tests women go through routinely in their lives you'd know a cheek swab is no bigger deal than flossing your teeth. Any more moronic questions, wing them over.' Broadcaster Piers Morgan was among the first to respond to reports of the test, writing on social media site X: 'The biology-denying woke brigade abused and shamed me for saying it was outrageous and dangerous for Khelif to be beating up women at the Olympics. 'I'm ready for their apology, but won't hold my breath.' Former Olympian Sharron Davies was similarly convinced by the report, writing: 'When did we stop believing in our eyes & gut! Oh yeah when we decided women's sport didn't matter…' Conservative activist Riley Gaines also weighed in, referring to Khelif with male pronouns and saying: 'To all the people that insisted Imane Khelif was a woman because his passport said so, 'You were wrong. We were right. Sincerely, People with functioning eyes and a shred of honesty.' The results reportedly have a date of being collected of March 17, 2023 - the same year that Khelif was disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA), the former governing body for the sport for 'failing gender eligibility tests'. It's a win for women because they won't be battered to death in the ring by men. If you had any idea what physical tests women go through routinely in their lives you'd know a cheek swab is no bigger deal than flossing your teeth. Any more moronic questions, wing them over. — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 2, 2025 The document claims to have come from Dr Lal PathLabs in New Delhi, a laboratory which is accredited by the American College of Pathologists and certified by the International Organisation for Standardisation. The report was initially published by the journalist Alan Abrahamson, who first brought reports of Khelif's alleged failed gender eligibility test to public attention at the Paris Games. Mail Sport has contacted Khelif's representatives for comment. Khelief has previously stated that she planned to defend her gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in three years time. World Boxing does have some Olympic authority, as they have been announced to provisionally run testing for the Los Angeles games, with any person over 18 required to undergo PCR testing to determine their sex. The governing body said the PCR test is a laboratory technique used to detect specific genetic material, with the SRY gene revealing the presence of the Y chromosome, which is an indicator of biological sex. The test can be conducted by nasal/mouth swab, saliva or blood. The governing body said the testing will be part of a new policy on 'Sex, Age and Weight', which it claims will ensure a safe and competitive playing field. World Boxing revealed the contents of a letter sent to the Algerian Boxing Federation, confirming Khelif is unable to compete in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup or any World Boxing event until she undergoes sex testing. 'Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup, 5-10 June 2025 and any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing's rules and testing procedures,' the letter read. 'In accordance with the World Boxing Statutes, amendments to the Competition Rules are typically made by Congress. However, under special or emergency circumstances, the World Boxing Executive Board holds the authority to make immediate amendments when a rule is deemed no longer functional or when evolving conditions necessitate a change. 'In May 2025, the Executive Board exercised this authority and adopted new eligibility criteria for participation in sex-specific boxing categories. These new eligibility rules were developed with the express purpose of safeguarding athletes in combat sports, particularly given the physical risks associated with Olympic-style boxing. 'Please be advised that, per World Boxing policy, '…in the event the athlete's sex certification is challenged by the athlete's federation or by World Boxing, the athlete shall be ineligible to compete until the dispute is resolved…' Khelif was not the only controversial boxer in Paris, as Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting also won a gold medal in women's boxing despite having been banned by the IBA in 2023. Morgan previously weighed in on Khelif's alleged gender ineligibility in November, when a 'leaked' report published in German outlet Bild claimed that she was a 'biological male'. He posted to his 8.8m followers at the time: 'Confirmation of what some of us said at the time: Khelif is a biological man. The gold medal should now be stripped and awarded to the best actual woman.' It remains unclear whether the report was legitimate, with Algerian Olympic Committee calling out 'unsubstantiated allegations (which aimed) to tarnish the image of an athlete who has brought honor to our nation on the international stage.' Piers Morgan, Sharron Davies, and Riley Gaines were all quick to weigh in on the alleged results The report was initially put together in 2023 via collaboration between French and Algerian expert endocrinologists working at the Kremlin-Bicetre hospital in Paris, and the Mohamed Lamine Debaghine hospital in Algiers. The unverified report alleges that Khelif has male characteristics. But Jacques Young, an endocrinologist at Bicetre Hospital in Paris who reportedly co-authored the document, has told DW in Germany that he feels his name is being used to spread false information. Young also hinted he had been used to disseminate an anti-trans agenda. 'I think your statement perfectly reflects reality,' when he was asked whether his name was being used for those purposes.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Gary Lineker's views on transgender athletes in sport branded 'truly unbelievable' and an 'utter load of bulls***' by tennis legend Martina Navratilova
Tennis legend Martin Navratilova has claimed Gary Lineker 's views on transgender athletes in sport are an 'utter load of bulls***' after the BBC presenter suggested it would not be a 'real issue'. Linker, who is under fire for sharing a pro-Palestine video featuring an anti-Semitic rat slur, was asked about his views on transgender athletes in an interview with the Telegraph this week. The outgoing Match of the Day host had been urged by fellow BBC pundits Navratilova and Olympic swimming medallist Sharron Davies to address the subject last year. Lineker's podcast The Rest is Football did not broach the subject when asked by the pundits in a question and answer session last year, after the FA banned a teenager for asking a rival 'are you a man?' The 64-year-old claimed the subject was 'too nuanced' to be discussed in a post, before insisting it was unlikely to a major issue at the elite level of sport. 'You can't cover that subject properly in a post. It's too nuanced. I don't actually think, in terms of sport, that it will ever be a real issue,' Lineker told the Telegraph. 'Sport, as it's already doing, will sort it out and work out rules. Like they did in boxing, when they realised they couldn't have heavyweights against little fellas.' 'They're some of the most persecuted on the planet, trans people. You've got to be very careful not to have bigoted views on that. 'I genuinely feel really badly for trans people. Imagine going through what they have to go through in life. Is there even any issue? It's the same swimmer, the same weightlifter, the same boxer. They're the only people I ever see.' Lineker's comments appeared to reference weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, who became the first transgender athlete to compete in the women's event at the Olympics back in 2021, as well as swimming Lia Thomas. Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was subject of a gender eligibility row at last year's Paris Olympics, after being disqualified from the World Boxing Championship in 2023 for allegedly for failing a gender test. Numerous sports have strengthened their rules in recent years, including athletics and swimming. New IOC president Kirsty Coventry also vowed to make protecting the female category 'a priority' following her election earlier this year. Following the UK Supreme Court ruling that transgender women are not legally women, both the Football Association and the ECB have barred transgender women from football and cricket. The FA had said there were fewer than 30 transgender women registered among millions of amateur players. Weightlifter Laurel Hubbard is the sole transgender athlete to have competed at the Olympics, while swimming Lia Thomas has been blocked under swimming's rules Boxer Imane Khelif, who is not transgender won gold at the Paris Olympics last year but was subject to a gender eligibility row throughout the Games Despite governing body's strengthening rules, something highlighted by Lineker, the presenter came under fire from Navratilova and Davies for claiming it was not a 'real issue'. 'Truly unbelievable,' Navratilova told the Telegraph. 'What an utter load of BS – and I am being nice. Seriously Gary? It's OK for men to compete against female bodies? You must be joking.' Davies added: 'His ignorance in this article is astonishing. Should keep his mouth shut unless he can be bothered to do some homework. 'Over 1,600 men in women's sports in the USA and Canada alone. Not just three – of which one is a DSD [differences in sexual development] athlete, not even trans,' Davies said. 'But suggest he has no idea of the difference? One removing fairness or safety for females in female sport is one too many.' Author JK Rowling, who has been vocal on gender issues, also joined criticism of Lineker. 'None of the people spouting this c**p are ignorant,' Rowling wrote. 'They know, as we all know, that men don't belong in women's sport, but saying so requires a backbone and not being terrified of losing likes from the in-crowd.' Linker is already facing a backlash over his condemnation of Israel in the Gaza war Lineker is already facing a backlash over his comments over his strident condemnation of Israel in the Gaza war. The presenter's latest comments had come three days before the BBC's highest paid presenter shared on Instagram to his 1.2million followers a video from the group Palestine Lobby. The clip, which purported to define Zionism, featured throughout a cartoon emoji of a rat, a symbol that has been used in Nazi propaganda as an anti-Jewish smear. The former England football captain issued an 'unreserved apology' after widespread criticism and calls for the BBC to axe him. Lineker's agent said on Tuesday that the star had both not noticed the rat image on the video he shared and would have been unaware of its connotations.
Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Gary Lineker's views on transgender ‘an utter load of bull----' says Navratilova
Gary Lineker has been accused of 'astonishing ignorance' by fellow BBC stars after telling The Telegraph he did not believe that the scandal of biological males in women's sport 'would ever be a real issue'. That assertion drew a withering response from Sharron Davies, the former Olympic silver medallist and BBC swimming presenter, who claimed that Lineker's perspective was the product of a failure of research. 'Not a real issue because it didn't affect the men's game,' she wrote, in response to his first public remarks on the transgender controversies convulsing female sport, where he claimed to know of just three such cases. Davies said: 'His ignorance in this article is astonishing. Should keep his mouth shut unless he can be bothered to do some homework. Over 1,600 men in women's sports in the USA and Canada alone!' Lineker alluded to the examples of American swimmer Lia Thomas, New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif – not transgender but allowed to win gold as a woman at the Paris Olympics after sex tests indicating male chromosomes – as the only examples of which he was aware. 'Not just three – of which one is a DSD [differences in sexual development] athlete, not even trans,' Davies said. 'But suggest he has no idea of the difference? One removing fairness or safety for females in female sport is one too many.' Davies, Martina Navratilova and hundreds of other women had implored him to address the matter last November, when his podcast The Rest Is Football invited questions from listeners, but he ignored all such requests, explaining in his Telegraph interview that he felt the subject was 'too nuanced' to be discussed on the show and declaring that transgender people were 'some of the most persecuted on the planet'. Lineker insisted he had a positive relationship with Navratilova, the nine-time Wimbledon singles champion and regular BBC presenter at the All England Club, revealing he was helping her produce a podcast of her own. 'I don't think she has got an issue with me,' he said, although this was contradicted by her savage response to his latest comments. 'Truly unbelievable,' Navratilova said. 'What an utter load of BS – and I am being nice. Seriously Gary? It's OK for men to compete against female bodies? You must be joking.' This backlash from BBC colleagues comes amid acute unrest inside the corporation at Lineker's sharing of a post on Instagram about the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which featured a rat emoji traditionally used as an anti-Semitic slur. While Lineker later issued an unreserved apology, Jewish members of BBC staff have expressed disgust at director-general Tim Davie's failure to impose any sanction. 'It is quite simply disgusting that the BBC has not kicked Lineker out,' said one employee this week, speaking anonymously. 'His repeated offensiveness to Jewish people has clearly brought the BBC into disrepute.' On the transgender debate, Lineker gave a clear explanation of where his empathy lay. 'I genuinely feel really bad for trans people,' he said. 'Imagine going through what they have to go through in life. You've got to be very careful not to have bigoted views.' Tina Daniels, an athlete who was a British men's record-holder in para-sport prior to gender reassignment, pushed back strongly on this perspective, saying: 'Hi, Gary Lineker. I'm a transsexual athlete and my male advantages are insurmountable. I stay out of female sports. Each place that a trans-identifying male takes denies a female a rightful opportunity. Her hard work is nullified.'
BBC News
01-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Two opposing views on football's transgender ban
The English Football Association announced on Thursday that transgender women will no longer be able to play in women's football in England from 1 the UK Supreme Court's ruling on 15 April that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, the FA now says only those born biologically female will be permitted to play in women's Scottish FA has also announced it is banning transgender women, while sources have told BBC Sport that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is also expected to ban transgender women from the women's Sport spoke to Natalie Washington, campaign lead for Football v Transphobia, and former swimmer and campaigner Sharron Davies to get their views on the ban. 'We are no longer able to play football' Washington played men's Sunday League football before joining a women's team in 2017, external. She was one of 28 trans women registered to play amateur football in told BBC Sport: "It is a shock. "This means for me personally, and for many people playing football, that we are no longer able to do this stuff that we were able to do last week and that we've been able to do for decades."I stopped playing in the men's game 10-12 years ago, I didn't feel it was a safe place to transition and I feel like i'm not really able to compete in that anymore."The effect that hormones have had means when I do play an occasional five-a-side kickabout with men, I don't feel like I can compete with men my sort of age and with similar physical characteristics."The reality is there are not enough transgender people in society for us to run our own sports, run our own spaces - there just aren't the numbers to make that viable."This is a lot of attention on a very small number of people who aren't causing a problem, and are just going about their lives."It is a de facto ban for transgender women from football more generally, realistically, particularly people who have been playing in women's football for decades."It's going to be very mentally challenging and actually potentially physically dangerous for those people to go back and play in the men's game - if they ever even did play in the men's game."So really this is pushing those people out of football altogether." 'Women are getting their sport back at last' Davies, 62, won a silver medal at the Moscow Olympics in 1980 and has long argued against the inclusion of trans women in women's told BBC Sport: "I'm overjoyed that women are getting their sport back at last, hopefully cricket will follow."The science is still the same. Males kick 50% harder than females, they're taller, they have bigger hands and feet, and they're more dynamic, particularly in goal."I've had heart-broken parents talking about their children, their young girls who are self-harming because they've had a season-ending injury. Or autistic daughters who've had six-match bans because they've recognised that there is a male on the opposition."A lot of people are owed an apology."It affects half the population who are actually female. It affects all young girls and all women who play football, particularly at grassroots and pathways and junior competition, so this was just about the integrity of sport and as a biological female you are entitled to that integrity just the same as a biological male."Everyone deserves to do sport and the FA must find a way to be inclusive for everybody."
BBC News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Why FA bar transgender women from women football
Transgender women no go fit play women football again for England from 1 June, na wetin di Football Association announce. Dem amend di rules on 11 April, as dem apply strict eligibility criteria for transgender women to kontinu to play for women football for all levels. However, sake of di ruling wey di Supreme Court for UK give on 15 April di legal definition of a woman now dey based on biological sex. Di FA now don scrap di policy and say only di pipo wey dem born biologically as female go dey permitted to play. "Dis subject dey complex , and our position don always be say if a material change for law, science, or di operation of di policy dey for grassroots football den we go review am and change am if necessary," di FA tok. "We understand say dis go dey difficult for pipo wey just wan play di game and dem love di gender wey dem dey identify wit. We don already start to contact di registered transgender women wey dey currently play to explain di changes and how dem fit kontin to stay involved in di game." Di FA tok on Thursday say di transgender women wey dey registered no reach 30 among millions of amateur players. No registered transgender women dey for di professional game across di Home Nations. However, di Scottish FA don ready to follow di FA ruling, dem wan also ban transgender women from women football for Scotland. Sources don tell BBC Sport say dem dem also expect di England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to ban transgender women from di women game. Di ECB bin don dey take legal advice on dia transgender policy sake of di Supreme Court ruling and dem dey expect di board to sanction changes for dia transgender policy for di board meeting on Friday. On Thursday England Netball also change dia guidelines as dem also ban transgender women from dia female category. Wetin be di former FA policy? Under di amended rules wey dem announce on 11 April, di FA say transgender women fit kontinu to participate for women football if dem meet certain condition. Dem get to prove thru medical records say dia testosterone levels dey below prescribed levels for at least di past 12 months, and provide a record of hormone therapy and an annual review of treatment. A new formal process, wey go involve "match observation" by FA official, go give di FA "ultimate discretion" on a case-by-case basis. How pipo dey react to dis announcement Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns for human rights charity Sex Matters, say di ruling dey "overdue" and say di previous policy dey "nonsensical". Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, wey dey also tok about di issue of transgender women for women sport, tok on X: "Dis na great news for di safety and fairness of all our girls and women in football. Dem bin no suppose allow am in di first place. Now evri sport must follow suit." Campaign group Women's Rights Network say: "We dey happy say di FA don finally seen di light. But e no suppose fight so hard to get here." Wen dem ask Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wetin im bin tink about transgender women ban from women sport, im tok-tok pesin say di goment always "dey clear say biology dey important wen e come to women's sport and say make evribody dey compliant wit di law". Im say di goment go "kontinu to work to make sure say women and girls across di kontri fit enjoy sports and we go continue to support bodies to protect di integrity, safety and fairness of di game". Im say na di responsibility of sporting bodies to set dia own rules. Natalie Washington, campaign lead for Football vs Transphobia, say transgender women dey likely to give up football now. "Di pipo I know wey dey tok about dis dey tok say, 'Well, e don end for football for me'," she tok. "Most pipo clearly no feel say dem fit go play for di men's game for reasons of safety, for reasons of comfort." Lord David Triesman, former chairman of di FA, say "consequences for di most senior FA officers" wey bin take di decision to allow transgender women play women's football suppose dey. "Di FA don finally see sense. E for be di highest foolishness to disregard di Supreme Court," im tok. Anti-discrimination group Kick it Out say: "Now na di time to show solidarity wit di trans community and remind oursefs say football dey bring pipo togeda and na a space for belonging, connection, and joy evritime. "Di recent Supreme Court ruling and di FA decision to change dia policy go get far-reaching consequences, not only for di pipo we dey support but for our friends, families, team-mates and wider communities. "Transphobic abuse - on di pitch, for di stands and online - dey real and e dey rise." What about other sports? Di FA na di first major governing sporting body to amend dia transgender eligibility criteria sake of di Supreme Court ruling. Di Ultimate Pool Group (UPG) - di professional body for eight-ball pool - bin ban transgender women from dia female category last month. Oda governing bodies, including di World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), dey reassess dia transgender eligibility criteria. Athletics, cycling and aquatics don implement outright bans on transgender women wey dey participate for women's events. For 2022 British Triathlon becom di first British sporting body to establish an open category wia transgender athletes fit compete. Dis year di ECB bin ban transgender women from elite domestic cricket. Di ruling mean say any player wey bin don go thru male puberty no go fit feature for di top two tiers of di women's game, but say transgender women still dey eligible fto play from di third tier and below. However, di ECB dey expected to follow di FA ruling by banning transgender women from all levels of di women's game. England Netball new guidelines, wey go apply from 1 September, recognise three distinct gender participation categories: female, male and mixed. Di female category go be "exclusively for players born female, irrespective of dia gender identity", while mixed netball go "serve as di sport inclusive category, wey go allow players to complete under di gender wey dem dey identify wit". 'FA bin no get choice' - analysis BBC sports editor Dan Roan Di FA don begin do tok-tok wit di 28 transgender women wey dey registered for England wey di policy change go affect as dem dey try to find ways wey dem fit still dey involved for di sport. In recent years, governing bodies of oda sports, like rugby and hockey, bin introduce tough gender policies, wey add to di pressure on football to follow suit. Senior officials insist say dem neva take any ideological position on wetin dem dey see as a complicated issue, and dia task na to always provide as many opportunities to play to as many pipo as possible. But di fact say dem need to do U-turn on di transgender eligibility policy wey dem bin update only three weeks ago no go dey too good. Di FA reject suggestions say dem bow to pressure, wit di claim say dem bin no get any choice to amend dia approach yet again becos dia lawyers bin conclude ay di subsequent Supreme Court ruling last month bin make dem vulnerable to potential legal claims from some biologically female players. But di fact say dem don follow suit go dey welcomed by di pipo wey bin feel say dia previous stance na unsatisfactory attempt to compromise between competing rights and freedoms - one wey di critics bin feel say no get clear direction, wey create unclear and impractical guidelines and e potentially compromise di fairness on female players and safety as a result. Supporters of di trans community no go dey happy sake of wetin dem see as an unnecessary, exclusionary and discriminatory policy wey dey risk further marginalisation of a small number of pipo from di sport wey dem love.
