The Olympic boxing landscape faces upheaval as it has been confirmed that Imane Khelif, Algeria’s champion for the Paris 2024 Games, has male chromosomes, a finding revealed in a recently published sex-test report from the 2023 World Championships.
This disclosure follows World Boxing’s ruling that Khelif must undergo sex testing to qualify for future female competitions. The report, generated during the March 2023 World Championships in New Delhi, was made public by American journalist Alan Abrahamson on the 3 Wire Sports website.
The analysis conducted by Dr Lal Path Labs, a laboratory accredited by the American College of Pathologists, unequivocally states: “Chromosome analysis reveals male karyotype,” confirming the presence of XY chromosomes typically associated with male biology.
These findings were crucial for Khelif’s disqualification from the 2023 championships, yet the IOC allowed her to compete in Paris based on the female designation on her passport, prompting intense scrutiny as World Boxing tightens its eligibility criteria.
Mark Adams, spokesperson for the IOC, previously dismissed the chromosome test as “ad hoc” and “not legitimate” in a press conference in Paris. Nonetheless, the test’s credibility is now bolstered by its certification from an internationally recognised laboratory.
The IOC President, Thomas Bach, went further, suggesting that the test results were part of a “Russian-led misinformation campaign” and referenced the IOC’s withdrawal of recognition from the International Boxing Association (IBA) due to ethical issues.
World Boxing has since mandated genetic testing for athletes over 18 wishing to compete in women’s categories, including a PCR test to assess chromosomal material. Khelif has not yet provided evidence of possessing female chromosomes since the questions regarding her eligibility arose nine months ago.
While Khelif remains committed to defending her Olympic title at Los Angeles 2028, uncertainty looms over her future in women’s boxing. The controversy escalated last year when both Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting won Olympic gold despite being barred by the IBA for not meeting female chromosomal criteria, leading to widespread outrage among athletes and federations.
Angela Carini from Italy, who faced Khelif in Paris, remarked, “I was punched so hard, I feared for my life,” while Mexico’s Brianda Tamara Cruz expressed similar sentiments, stating, “I don’t think I had ever felt like that in my 13 years as a boxer.”
Latin American federations have significantly influenced World Boxing’s stance, with the Honduran federation advocating for measures ensuring that only women by birth compete in women’s events and the Peruvian federation echoing calls for the protection of women.
With provisional approval to oversee Olympic boxing at the 2028 Games, World Boxing is committed to maintaining what it refers to as the “reality of sex” to ensure fairness and safety in women’s competitions.