PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Leaked medical tests suggest Algerian Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif has a male karyotype, raising further questions about eligibility to compete against women under new gender testing rules for the 2028 Olympics.
👥 Who’s Involved: Imane Khelif, the International Boxing Association (IBA), the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the World Boxing Association (WBA).
📍 Where & When: Paris Olympics 2024; potential impact on the 2028 Olympic Games.
💬 Key Quote: “Chromosome analysis reveals a Male karyotype. No numerical or chromosomal anomalies detected at 450-550 banding resolution,” according to a report attributed to Dr. Lal PathLabs.
⚠️ Impact: Khelif’s eligibility as a female athlete is in question, with new gender testing rules potentially barring participation in future competitions.
IN FULL:
Leaked medical records reportedly reveal that Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who claimed Olympic gold in women’s boxing at the 2024 Paris Games, has a male karyotype, suggesting potential ineligibility under new gender testing rules for the 2028 Olympics. Khelif’s dominating performance in the Paris Olympics reignited controversy surrounding the athlete’s eligibility, after the International Boxing Association (IBA) previously disqualified Khelif from competing as a female in 2022 and 2023 due to gender test concerns. Despite the IBA’s ban, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed Khelif to compete in Paris as a woman.
Now, the allegedly female boxer’s gender issue has resurfaced following the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) announcement of updated gender testing requirements for Olympic fighters. Reports suggest that Khelif’s medical tests, conducted by Dr. Lal PathLabs in New Delhi, indicated a male karyotype and testosterone levels consistent with typical male ranges. The records also reportedly show the presence of internal testes and an absence of female reproductive organs.
Algerian sports officials have dismissed the findings, insisting Khelif qualifies as a woman due to “medical reasons.” Khelif, who has identified as female since birth, was reportedly placed on testosterone suppression therapy in 2023.
Medical experts note that conditions such as Swyer syndrome, Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, or 5-alpha reductase deficiency could explain Khelif’s situation. The latter condition, found only in males, can result in ambiguous genitalia at birth and the development of male characteristics during puberty.
Notably, the leaked 2023 test results appear to confirm a separate reported test conducted by endocrinologists Soumaya Fedala and Jacques Young, which surfaced online in late 2024 following the Paris Olympics. The 2024 test leak also found that Khelif had no uterus and instead possessed internal testes, while diagnosing the boxer with 5-alpha reductase deficiency.
