A gender row involving two female boxers at the Paris 2024 Olympics was the result of a Russian fake news campaign and had little to do with reality, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said on Saturday.

The boxing competition in Paris was administered directly by the IOC, having stripped the IBA of its recognition in 2023 due to governance and financial concerns. The IBA, led by Russian businessman Umar Kremlev, has close ties to the Kremlin. The fallout that followed the IBA’s accusations dominated much of the coverage of the Games.

A gender row involving two female boxers at the 2024 Olympics was the result of a Russian fake news campaign, Olympic officials said.