Ivories are not Elite members, and are not entitled to lounge access or Fast Track [their baggage fee reductions are contingent on having their Ivory number in their reservation - mere membership of the programme is not enough to secure these baggage fee reductions].

Elite (Silver) and Elite Plus (Gold, Platinum) members are still issued with physical cards for these reasons. Ivories have no need to show proof of status (given that Ivory, by definition, has no status), hence why the physical cards are no longer issued. They served no useful purpose.