International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said on Friday his organization will decide in the first half of next year whether or not to allow boxing at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Boxing has come under intense scrutiny at the Paris Olympic Games following an uproar over the gender of two female boxers who were disqualified from the World Championships last year but were considered eligible to compete in Paris.

One of the two, Algerian fighter Imane Khelif, will fight for gold in her final against China’s Li Qian later on Friday. The other, Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, will fight in her final on Saturday.

The matter is further complicated by the fact that the IOC is holding the boxing competition in Paris because of serious concerns about the leadership of the Russian-led International Boxing Federation.

Bach has already warned in Paris that national boxing federations must find a new and “reliable” international partner for the IOC to ensure that the sport is included in the 2028 program.

Bach said on Friday that the IOC will make the decision on admission in the first half of 2025.

“I think the answer will come sometime next year, as soon as possible, but I don’t think we can expect a final decision before next year,” Bach said.

“I hope we will have an answer in the first half of next year.”

When asked again whether the IOC was prepared to re-examine the gender issue that is weighing on the Paris competition, Bach replied: “We have said from the beginning that if someone presents us with a scientifically based system to distinguish between men and women, we will be the first to do it.”

“We don’t like this uncertainty. We don’t like it given the overall situation, so we would be very happy to look into this matter.”

“But it is not possible for someone to conclude, based solely on the look of a person, that this is not a woman, or to become the victim of a defamation campaign by an untrustworthy organization with highly political interests.”

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