Egyptian boxer Yumna Ayad has been referred for investigation after being disqualified from the 2024 Paris Olympics due to exceeding the weight limit, according to Abdel Aziz Ghanem, head of the Boxing Federation. Ayad was scheduled to face Uzbekistan's Nigina Oktamova in the 54 kg category before being disqualified for weighing 700 grams over the legal limit, leading to her being considered withdrawn from the competition.
At 21 years old, Ayad became the first Egyptian female boxer to qualify for the Olympics after reaching the finals of the African Championship last year. Ghanem stated, "Ayad will be referred for investigation upon her return to Cairo, overseen by the Egyptian Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, before any decision is made regarding the athlete." He expressed strong feelings of anger, noting, "This situation is unprecedented in the history of Egyptian Olympic participation. The athlete weighed in late Saturday night and her weight was suitable for participation, so I do not know what happened that caused the increase."
Regarding the federation's responsibility, Ghanem commented, "The athlete is responsible as she communicated with us on Saturday night and informed us that her weight was legal." He added, "We will not rush to judgment before the investigation and will disclose the results to the public once completed." Ghanem further noted, "We have incurred significant financial expenses for Yumna's training, and she is an emerging athlete with a promising future, so I refuse to judge her prematurely. If the investigation proves she is at fault, she will certainly be punished, but in a manner that does not impact her future."
