Laura Woods reveals she's had sick death threats to her unborn child after questioning Olympic gender scandal boxer Imane Khelif's run to gold in Paris
- Laura Woods revealed that she is pregnant with her first child just last month
- Imane Khelif won women's welterweight boxing gold at the Olympics in Paris
- Woods was criticised by fans for supporting an article on the gender boxing row
Laura Woods has opened up about death threats directed at herself and her unborn child on social media after she weighed in on the Olympic boxing gender row earlier this week.
The popular sports presenter sparked mass debate when she replied to an article by The Telegraph's Oliver Brown about women's boxing gold medallists Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting.
Algeria's Khelif, a welterweight fighter, and Taiwanese featherweight Lin were disqualified from last year's IBA Women's World Championships for failing to meet eligibility criteria, but were both allowed to compete in Paris this summer.
Woods responded to the article, which raised concerns about the protection of female athletes, by writing 'Great article Oli', followed by an applause emoji.
The 37-year-old, who is pregnant, has since revealed via X that she has received several death threats aimed at her unborn baby.
Laura Woods says that social media users have sent death threats aimed at her unborn baby
She took to social media app X to share the abuse that she has been recieving since wading in on the Olympic boxing gender row
Woods also hit out at another another user on X (formerly Twitter) over the subject
'Since I replied to this article I’ve had numerous death threats to myself and my unborn child,' wrote the TNT Sports presenter. 'Questions on my own gender (I’m pregnant so guess that clears that one up) calls for my employers to sack me, threats to my home.
In July, Woods shared that she is expecting her first child with former Love Island star Adam Collard.
On top of the threats directed toward her family, Woods went on to share that she has received various other strongly-worded messages.
She added: 'I’ve been called a racist, a bigot and a sexist as well as various insults - ****, s**g etc.
'I’ve also been asked why I haven’t raised any concerns on this topic before? See above for your answer.
'When there are discrepancies with test results - which could impact the safety of another human being, in an environment that above all else should be fair - questions are quite rightly going to be asked. The answers are still unclear, otherwise this topic would be closed.'
Woods' original reply to a Telegraph article sparked a mass debate in her comment section
Imane Khelif struck gold in the women's welterweight division at the Paris Olympics this year
Lin Yu-ting also won a women's boxing gold medal at this summer's Olympic Games in Paris
Woods revealed in July that she is expecting her first child with Love Island star Adam Collard
After her initial post praising the article written by Brown, Wooods recieved baclash in her comments section.
Many fans took aim at Woods with the presenter clapping back at several of them by asking questions in response.
One fan replied: 'It's a terrible article, wtf?' Woods then came back with: 'What's terrible about it? Specifically'.
Another X user also took aim at Woods: 'Actually it isn't, do a bit more research!' But she hit back with: 'Which part?'
Woods, meanwhile, hit back at another user on the social media platform, writing: 'Hi Jodie. Nope - I’m answering the question clearly to those that are questioning my gender, but if you’d like me to do a sex test too I’d be very happy to?
'The IBA aren’t saying I have failed two sex tests. If they were, I would appeal and I would sue them.'
Khelif and Lin were both criticised throughout the Olympics for their participation in the Paris Games.
The International Boxing Association, who stopped the pair from fighting at the World Championships, have since been banned and instead, the International Olympic Committee took charge of the boxing events at the Games.
Following the protests thrown her way, Khelif has since filed a lawsuit alleging 'acts of aggravated cyber harassment' to the French authorities.
After striking gold in Paris, the Algerian fighter had a message for those who raised strong concerns at her involvement in the competition.
'I am a woman like any other woman. I was born a woman, I lived as a woman, I competed as woman - there is no doubt,' she said.
'There are enemies of success of course. That gives my success a special taste because of these attacks.'
'I want to tell the world that they should commit to the Olympic principles and they should not bully people.
'This is the message of the Olympics. I hope people stop bullying. We are in the Olympics to perform as athletes, to our families. I hope [we] will not see any similar attacks in future.'
