International Olympics Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach described online 'hate speech' directed at two boxers caught up in a gender eligibility debate as 'totally unacceptable' while speaking at a daily press briefing in Paris on Saturday.

"Let's be very clear here. We are talking about women's boxing and we have two boxers who are born as a woman, who have been raised as a woman, who have a passport as a woman and who have competed for many years as women," Bach told journalists.

"What is going on in this context, in the social media with all this hate speech, with this aggression and abuse, and fuelled by this agenda is totally unacceptable," he added.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting were cleared to compete at the Paris Olympics despite being disqualified from last year's IBA World Championships after failing gender eligibility tests. The IBA cited high testosterone levels as a determining factor in their ruling.

On Thursday, questions were raised about Khelif's participation at the games as Italian boxer Angela Carini quit her opening bout against the Algerian after just 46 seconds.

Carini said she 'couldn't finish the match' and had to 'preserve her life' after sustaining heavy blows to her face, complaining of 'severe pain' in her nose. The Italian boxer later apologised to Khelif for leaving the ring without shaking her hand.

Addressing the latest calls for Khelif to be disqualified from the Olympics, Bach cited the 'scientifically based' rules found in the 'IOC framework', which states that competitors listed as female in their passport are eligible to participate.

"This is available to everybody on the website and the rules of the International Federations are on the website to be followed by everybody. But I repeat here, this is not a DSD case. This is about a woman taking part in a woman's competition," he said.

In 2019, the IOC temporarily revoked the International Boxing Association's (IBA) status as the sport's world governing body, questioning the transparency of the organisation under the leadership of Russian sports functionary Umar Kremlev.

Bach was asked if he believes the 'Russian state' is attempting to 'sow doubt' over the genders of the boxers in question in a bid to 'disrupt' the Paris Olympics.

"We have seen from the Russian side and in particular from the International Federation from which we had to withdraw the recognition [...] a defamation campaign against France, against the games, against the IOC," Bach replied.

"I can only suggest to you look into the comments the leaders of this federation have made recently and then make your own judgment," he added.

Kremlev and the IBA have not responded publicly to claims made by the IOC president at the time of publication.