A furious debate broke out on GB News today between Critical policy researcher Lottie Moore and LGBT liberation campaigner Peter Tatchell as they discussed whether a boxing match at the Olympics was “unfair” after a boxer with “high levels of testosterone” fought Italy’s Angela Carini yesterday.
Carini’s Olympic fight with her Algerian opponent Imane Khelif took just 46 seconds, with the Italian throwing her helmet onto the floor as the clash was abandoned, yelling: “This is unjust.”
Speaking to GB News, Critical policy researcher Lottie Moore said: “Humans are binary and immutable because we are mammals and there is a minority of people who have disorders of sexual development and that can affect a person’s reproductive organs.
“These people are male or female and yesterday what we witnessed was basically just glorified male violence against women and girls.
The debate got heated as guests clashed over the boxing match
GB News
“The difference is that in every other circumstance, we consider beating up women to be wrong. But it was deemed acceptable by those at the IOC because they’re claiming that it’s sport, but it’s not. It’s violence and it’s wrong.”
LGBT liberation campaigner Peter Tatchell responded: “She is not transgender. She is not non-binary. She is not intersex.
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“She may have elevated levels of testosterone, but that’s entirely natural. It’s beyond her control. It’s the way she was born.
“That is why the International Olympic Committee has said that she falls within the rules. Now of course people will dispute that, but the former world champion woman boxer has said it’s not fair to target her, this was the way she was born. It’s outside of her control. She should be allowed to compete now.
“I think we have to look at more evidence and consider this case very carefully and not jump to conclusions. No one should be penalised because of the way they’re born. Lots of elite athletes have advantages.
“Michael Phelps had huge physiological advantages in the swimming pool, which enabled him to win 20 plus gold medals, no one said he had an unfair advantage. Even though physiologically he had a bigger heart, stronger lungs, and extraordinary body length and arm width.”
Imane Khelif has been permitted to take part in the Paris Olympics despite controversy surrounding her involvementGETTY
Moore fumed back: “We don’t need any more evidence. We have so much evidence. Men are stronger than women. Testosterone is a really powerful hormone and it makes men stronger. It is really indefensible.
“Last time I checked, there were actually 18 peer-reviewed studies that demonstrate male strength against women. And that is why we have categories.
“Categories exist because they allow everyone equality of opportunity. I cannot compete in an under-twelves race, for example, because I’m not under 12.
“I can compete in the categories that apply to me. That’s why we have Paralympics, That’s why we have Olympics. We have sex categories because they make everything.
The boxing match has been blasted as unfair
GB News
“They give equality of opportunity to everyone. I think that boxing is categorised by weight and a male who is boxing, a female who is the same weight as him is like a heavyweight man punching a lightweight man.
“Those are different categories. So that argument doesn’t work.
“I’ve got lots of male friends who weigh less than me and they are still stronger than me.
“They can still beat me to a pulp because they are male.”