Olympics boss Thomas Bach has made a stunning – and deeply embarrassing – mistake in trying to end the gender controversy that has rocked the Games.

The 70-year-old German leader told reporters that the issue surrounding the participation of two boxers who were said to have failed gender tests last year was “not a case of DSD”.

However, just seconds after the press conference ended, IOC officials quickly clarified that he had misspoken and meant it was not a “transgender case” or “not a case of DSD”.

If true, Bach’s comments would be a major step forward that could end a controversy that has raged around the world.

Questions have been raised about the participation of Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting, who were disqualified from last year’s World Championships, after they reportedly failed gender testing. Neither is transgender, but officials from the Russian-backed IBA, which issued the ban, said both had XY chromosomes, male genes.

Bach’s comments appeared to refute that claim.

A similar statement was later hastily posted on social media.

DSD is a rare condition previously known as disorder of sex development or ‘intersex’, affecting between 0.05 and 1 per cent of the population. It is usually diagnosed at birth when a baby’s genitalia may not be clearly visible. Some children can be born with female genitalia but have male XY chromosomes, as well as undescended testicles.

Bach made the mistake when asked why the IOC had not reintroduced gender testing and whether it would allow DSD athletes and transgender women to compete if their passports listed them as female. He had previously defended the two boxers, claiming there was “never any doubt” they were women.

‘We are talking about women’s boxing,’ Bach said. ‘We have two boxers who were born women, raised as women, have a women’s passport and have competed for many years as women. This is the clear definition of a woman.’

After making the mistake, he added: ‘This is the story of a woman competing in a women’s competition,’ Bach said.

‘I think I have explained this many times. I want to ask everyone to respect these women. Respect them as women, respect them as human beings and not let them get close to the chaos that some people want to create.’

Both fighters won their opening bouts, with Khelif – who fights on Saturday – winning her welterweight bout against Angela Carini after the Italian broke down in tears and quit after just 46 seconds, later saying she had quit “to save her life”.

Bach, who made a surprise appearance before the media, also criticised the “hate speech” aimed at both athletes, adding that he had no problem with their participation. He also claimed the IOC was working within the only framework available.

‘What we see today is that some people want to take over the decision of what a woman is,’ the German said.

‘I can only invite them to come up with a new, scientifically-based definition of who is a woman and how someone who is born, raised, competes as a woman cannot be considered a woman. If they come up with something, we are ready to look at it but we will not engage in a politically motivated culture war. Let me say that what is happening in this context on social media with all the hate speech, aggression and abuse, fuelled by this agenda, is completely unacceptable.’

The IBA, which is at war with the IOC, did not provide clear details, other than to say that both failed gender testing conducted after concerns were raised.

The decision to expel the boxers was taken by the IBA, an organisation headed by a Russian and stripped of its role as Olympic organiser over governance concerns.

Asked whether the furore was the result of a Russian disinformation campaign aimed at destabilising the Games, Bach replied: ‘What we see from Russia and especially from the IBA, which we had to withdraw recognition from for various reasons, they have been carrying out a defamation campaign against France, against the Olympics and against the IOC since before these Games.’

Bach added: ‘They have made some comments on this issue which I do not want to repeat. If you want to know about the reliability of the information coming from this unrecognised federation, I can only suggest that you look at the comments they have made recently and make your own judgement.’

Bach was supported by Paris 2024 director Tony Estanguet and communications director Anne Descamps when he made the mistake. Estanguet and Bach had previously spoken about the success of the Games in an apparent attempt to control the narrative.