A medical report has surfaced, revealing that Imane Khelif, the gold medalist in the women’s 66kg (145 lbs) boxing category at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is biologically male.
According to reports from Hindustan Times and Times of India on Tuesday, French journalist Zafar Ait Audia obtained a confidential document showing that Khelif has internal testes and XY chromosomes.
The report also indicates that Khelif has 5-alpha reductase deficiency, which affects individuals with XY chromosomes. This disorder disrupts the enzyme that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, a critical hormone for male sexual development.
People with this condition may have undescended testes and external genitalia that are only slightly larger than a clitoris, which can lead to confusion at birth and result in them being mistakenly identified as female. However, because their chromosomes are male, they typically develop secondary male characteristics, such as facial hair and a deeper voice, as they mature.
The report, authored by experts from Kremlin-Bicetre Hospital in Paris and Mohammed Lamine Debaghine Hospital in Algeria last June, outlines Khelif’s biological traits, including the presence of internal testes and the absence of a uterus.
After winning the Olympic gold medal, Khelif declared, “I was born and lived as a woman.”
It was revealed that Khelif had XY chromosomes earlier, which led the International Boxing Association (IBA) to bar him from competing in the World Championships.
However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) found no evidence to support claims that Khelif is biologically male and permitted him to compete in the women’s division of the Olympics.
This decision sparked widespread controversy, with many critics, both within and outside the sports community, calling it “unfair to female athletes.”
Despite the backlash, Khelif moved forward in the competition and secured a technical knockout victory in just 46 seconds during the round of 16 against Italy’s Angela Carini. In the quarterfinals, Khelif won unanimously against Hungary’s Anna Lúcia Hámori.
In the semifinals, Khelif triumphed again with a unanimous decision against Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng. In the final, Khelif claimed the gold medal after defeating China’s Yang Liu by decision.
After winning the gold, Khelif reiterated, “I was born and lived as a woman, just like other women.”
Following the Olympics, Khelif filed a lawsuit against several prominent individuals who had questioned his gender. The list of defendants includes J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, and Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, both of whom had publicly criticized Khelif’s participation in the women’s event.
Most Commented