Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is in the middle of a gender eligibility controversy, and the temperature on the drama only turned up after a win over a female Italian fighter at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 1.
Khelif is in the Olympics for the second time. The boxer fought for Algeria in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when it was held in 2021. But since that time, Khelif has been in the midst of drama.
Here’s what to know about Khelif and the issue.
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Khelif is a 25-year-old boxer from Tiaret, Algeria. Khelif, who is currently a UNICEF ambassador, grew up in a rural village in the province and has been open about growing into the sport. Khelif’s father didn’t "approve of boxing for girls," according to UNICEF.
Khelif was able to start training for boxing sessions by selling scrap metal for recycling.
Khelif debuted on the world amateur stage at 19 years old and came in 17th at the 2018 World Championships, sanctioned by the International Boxing Association (IBA) – then known as AIBA.
Khelif finished 19th in the 2019 Women’s World Boxing Championships. The Algerian fighter was in the 2020 Olympics and made it to the quarterfinals before losing to Ireland’s Kellie Harrington.
But in 2022, Khelif finished second in the Women’s World Boxing Championships after being defeated by Amy Broadhurst. Khelif won gold medals in the 2022 African Championships, Mediterranean Games and 2023 Arab Games.
The 2023 Women’s World Boxing Championships is the root of the controversy for Khelif.
Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 championships before a gold medal bout over gender eligibility issues. IBA President Umar Kremlev released a statement to Russia’s TASS Agency about why Khelif was disqualified.
"Based on DNA tests, we identified a number of athletes who tried to trick their colleagues into posing as women. According to the results of the tests, it was proved that they have XY chromosomes. Such athletes were excluded from competition," Kremlev said.
The Algerian Olympic Committee said at the time that Khelif was disqualified for "medical reasons." Algerian media reported that Khelif was disqualified for high testosterone levels, according to Reuters.
"There are some countries that did not want Algeria to win a gold medal," Khelif told Algerian Ennahar TV. "This is a conspiracy and a big conspiracy, and we will not be silent about it."
Khelif qualified for the Paris Olympics, and the controversy about the boxer’s gender was renewed.
International Olympic Committee spokesperson Mark Adams tried to explain it away.
"Everyone competing in the women’s category is complying with the competition eligibility rules," he said this week. "They are women in their passports, and it’s stated that this is the case, that they are female."
The IBA released a new statement before Khelif’s match and explained why the fighter was disqualified.
"On 24 March 2023, IBA disqualified athletes Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif from the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships New Delhi 2023," the IBA said. "This disqualification was a result of their failure to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women’s competition, as set and laid out in the IBA Regulations. This decision, made after a meticulous review, was extremely important and necessary to uphold the level of fairness and utmost integrity of the competition."
"Point to note, the athletes did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognized test, whereby the specifics remain confidential," the IBA statement continues. "This test conclusively indicated that both athletes did not meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors."
The IBA said Khelif underwent two tests: one in 2022 and the other in 2023. The IBA said Khelif appealed the decision to the Court for Arbitration of Sport but withdrew during the process, making the "IBA decision legally binding."
"Our Committees have rigorously reviewed and endorsed the decision made during the World Championships," the IBA said. "While IBA remains committed to ensuring competitive fairness in all of our events, we express concern over the inconsistent application of eligibility criteria by other sporting organizations, including those overseeing the Olympic Games. The IOC’s differing regulations on these matters, in which IBA is not involved, raise serious questions about both competitive fairness and athletes’ safety."
The IOC pushed back with a statement on Thursday, defending its eligibility requirements and maintaining that Khelif met all requirements.
"These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA. Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process."
Khelif’s defeated Italy’s Angela Carini in 46 seconds in their 66-kilogram division on Aug. 1.
Carini took a punch to the face and called a time-out for her coaches to adjust her headgear. On the second punch, Carini abandoned the match.
After the fight, Carini was heard yelling to her coaches in Italian, questioning the fairness of the bout. She then broke her silence about why she abandoned the match.
"I got into the ring to fight," she said, per Italy’s ANSA. "I didn't give up, but one punch hurt too much, and so I said enough.
"I'm going out with my head held high."
Khelif celebrated on Instagram, writing in a post "first victory."
Khelif is 37-9 with five knockouts at the amateur level. Khelif hasn’t lost since May 2022 against Broadhurst. The 2023 World Championship matches were ruled no contests.
Khelif next faces Hungarian Anna Luca Hamori on Saturday at 11:22 a.m. ET.
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