Imane Khelif's sexual test results are the first release of the 2023 World Championships, and medical reports seem to indicate that the boxer is a biologically male.
After World Boxing Ruling was the extremely controversial Olympic champion Khelif of the women's boxing competition at the Paris Olympics last summer, only 36 hours later, sexual screening is required to qualify for any future appearance in the women's category, which is the heart of this extraordinary Saga.
American journalist Alan Abrahamson revealed in Paris how the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was warned more than a year ago that Khelif has the DNA of “male” due to the results of a test conducted in New Delhi in March 2023, triggering the boxer's championship, which made the boxing match's annual title.
The document, published on the 3 Wire Sports website, summarizes Khelif's findings as “abnormal”, noting that “chromosomal analysis reveals male karyotypes.” Karyotype refers to a person's complete chromosome, and in the case of Khelif, the International Boxing Association (IBA) reported a male pattern as XY.
The test results come with a letterhead from Dr. Lal Pathlabs of New Delhi, accredited by the American Academy of Pathologists and certified by the International Organization for Standardization, headquartered in Switzerland. This directly challenged the statement of IOC spokesman Mark Adams, who described the results as “temporary” and “illegal” at a tense press conference at the Paris Olympics.
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IOC President Thomas Bach claims the result is a product of a Russian-led misinformation campaign. He noted in an interview earlier this year that the IBA, led by Russia's Umar Kremlev, has repeatedly deprived the IOC of its recognition for its ethics and financial management. Official identity verification at Indian labs that tested Khelif has increased pressure on IOC to explain why it believes the results are illegal.
This also complicates any potential comebacks for Khelif. The 26-year-old performed well and even vowed to win a second straight Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles in 2028. But World Boxing ruled that Khelif was not eligible to enter into future events as a woman without first obeying the same chromosome test, which has triggered Boxer's qualification at the global level.
The governing body that temporarily approved Olympic boxing in Los Angeles announced that all athletes over the age of 18 must undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genetic test to determine their gender. The test detects chromosomal material through the mouth, saliva or blood. Khelif, who was allowed to pack in Paris due to a female passport condition, failed to provide any evidence that there were female chromosomes in the nine months since the scandal broke out.
World Boxing Rule Khelif must pass the sexual test to participate in their event – ITV
World Boxing’s tougher stance on the issue is in response to widespread anger in Paris, which both Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-tin swept the Olympic champion despite being banned by the IBA last year. Italy's Angela Carini, the first opponent to be defeated by Khelif, described how she was so violently punched that she was worried about her life.
Mexico's Brianda Tamara, who fought Khelif in 2022, said: “I don't think I've ever felt like the boxers' 13 years. The Federation of Latin America finally has a great influence in persuading the world boxing to prioritize the reality of sexuality to maintain fairness and safety for women.
Seen in the corresponding Telegram MovementThe Honduras Federation told the Women's Rights Network that “the necessary measures should be taken so that only women born can compete in women's competition”. Their Peruvian counterparts also strongly urged to “protect women.”
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