Cathal Dennehy: Blame for women's Olympic boxing mess falls firmly with IOC

The mess is not the fault of the two boxers at the centre of the storm, Algeria’s Imane Khelif or Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu Ting, who are not breaking any rules by competing in Paris.

Algeria's Imane Khelif, celebrates after defeating Hungary's Anna Hamori in their women's 66kg quarter-final. Picture: AP Photo/John Locher

Make no mistake over who’s at fault for the mess unfolding in women’s boxing in Paris: The International Olympic Committee.

It’s not the fault of the two boxers at the centre of the storm, Algeria’s Imane Khelif or Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu Ting, who are not breaking any rules by competing here. It’s not the fault of their rivals who have voiced distress over the situation, those like Italy’s Angela Carini, who stopped her fight against Khelif and broke down in tears, saying, “I have never felt a punch like this.” This one is on the IOC, plain and simple.