Laura Woods Faces Death Threats Over Olympic Boxing Gender Comments

TV presenter Laura Woods has disclosed that she has received death threats following her comments on a controversial article regarding the participation of transgender athletes in Olympic boxing. Woods, who is pregnant, expressed her support for a Telegraph article criticizing the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for allowing Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting to compete in women's events. Since her tweet, Woods has reported a barrage of online abuse, including threats against her unborn child. In her statement, Woods revealed the extent of the harassment, stating, "Since I replied to this article, I’ve had numerous death threats to myself and my unborn child." She also mentioned receiving calls for her dismissal from her job and explicit insults questioning her gender identity. Woods emphasized the importance of addressing discrepancies in gender eligibility tests, which she believes could impact athlete safety and fairness in competition. Khelif, who won gold in the women's 66kg boxing event, defended her participation, asserting her identity as a woman and expressing that the criticism she faced only made her victory more meaningful. She described the fear and emotional toll the backlash had on her, stating that political issues had intruded into the realm of sports. Woods has continued to engage with her critics on social media, advocating for the Olympic principles of fairness and respect, while calling for an end to bullying within the sporting community.