“Leaked Report Alleging Olympic Boxer Imane Khelif’s Male Biology Sparks Renewed Debate on Gender Eligibility in Sports”
Controversy has reignited over Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif after a purportedly leaked report suggested she may be biologically male, leading to renewed calls for her medal to be revoked. Khelif, along with fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan, faced scrutiny after competing in the Paris Olympics despite previous issues with gender eligibility tests at the 2023 World Championships. Although both athletes claimed top medals in their categories, the recent report, allegedly authored by French and Algerian medical experts, suggests Khelif exhibits “male characteristics.”
Following the report’s surfacing, public figures like Piers Morgan and Martina Navratilova expressed outrage on social media, calling for the IOC to strip Khelif’s medal. Morgan tweeted his 8.8 million followers, insisting, “The gold medal should now be stripped and awarded to the best actual woman.” Navratilova echoed his sentiment, saying many people had previously voiced concerns only to face backlash.
Sports commentator Laura Woods also weighed in, advocating for the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports, though not at the expense of fairness or safety in women’s categories, calling for “protected categories” to uphold these principles. Woods revealed her strong stance on gender eligibility in sports had cost her friendships.
Despite the criticism, Khelif has firmly asserted her identity, stating, “I am a woman like any other. I was born a woman, I lived as a woman, I competed as a woman,” and has described her critics as “enemies of success.” Khelif’s lawyer in Paris, Nabil Boudi, has since confirmed a lawsuit was filed with French authorities regarding defamatory remarks on her gender.