On Saturday, former President Donald Trump once again criticized two gold medalist Olympic athletes, inaccurately labeling them as men. Speaking at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, Trump reiterated his stance on excluding men from women’s sports, focusing on the controversy surrounding the two athletes in question.
Trump’s comments were directed at Imane Khelif of Algeria and Li Yu-ting of Taiwan, who have faced gender-related misconceptions following their disqualification from the world championships by the now-defunct International Boxing Association. This decision was due to allegations of failing an eligibility test, which led to widespread debate about gender identity in sports.
Trump, who has frequently targeted transgender individuals in his speeches, did not name the athletes directly but stated, “In the Olympics, they had two transitioned. They were men. They transitioned to women, and they were in the boxing.” He reiterated his criticism by describing the situation as “crazy” and asserted, “It’s so demeaning to women.”
Despite being born and raised as women, both Khelif and Lin became focal points in the broader debate over gender and sports due to the controversial eligibility tests they failed. Trump’s remarks reflect ongoing discussions and criticisms regarding the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s competitions.
