The Algerian boxing Olympic champion Imane Khelif is ready to subject herself to a “gender test” by World Boxing ahead of the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. “I’m not transgender. My difference is natural. I’m simply how I am. I haven’t done anything to change the way I was born,” Khelif told the French sports daily L’Équipe (paywalled). “So I have no fear. If I need to undergo a test for the next Games, I will do it.”
At the Paris 2024 Summer Games, a dispute surrounding Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan sparked a massive uproar with political overtones. Both boxers had been barred from the World Boxing Championships the previous year after undisclosed “gender tests” conducted by the Russian-controlled IBA, an organization the International Olympic Committee no longer recognizes.
According to IBA, they had not met the required participation criteria and “in comparison to other female competitors, they held competitive advantages.” The IOC called that decision “arbitrary” and allowed Khelif and Lin to compete in Paris anyway. The justification at the time was that the sex listed on the passport was decisive for eligibility.
In the meantime, the IOC has recognized World Boxing as a partner. World Boxing has since introduced its own “gender tests.” Khelif refused to participate in the procedure, was not permitted to compete at last autumn’s World Championships, and has challenged the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Hormone treatment ahead of the Paris Summer Games
In the interview, the Algerian boxer explained that she had been undergoing hormone therapy in the run-up to the Paris Games. “I take female hormones. People don’t know that, but I’ve already lowered my testosterone levels for competition. I’m surrounded by doctors, mentored by a professor, and I’ve undergone hormone treatments to reduce my testosterone,” Khelif said. “For the Dakar qualifying tournament for Paris, I brought my testosterone down to zero.”
The athlete also addressed remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump about Khelif—who, in January, had described her as “a young man who changed his gender” among other things (as reported by TheColu.mn). She rejected the idea of distortion and said, “I’m not transgender, I’m a girl. I was raised as a girl, grew up as a girl, and the people in my village have always known me as a girl. I respect him if he respects the truth.” Khelif had previously shared childhood photos showing her as a little girl.
Khelif aims for Olympic gold again in Los Angeles
Khelif reaffirmed her intention to compete in the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. “Just because I fight as a professional does not mean I’m skipping the 2028 Games. Not at all. I want to represent Algeria in Los Angeles and become the first athlete from Algeria to defend an Olympic title,” she said. The debate surrounding Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting also fed into a broader discussion about the inclusion of transgender athletes in events of their gender, a topic that has been stoked by Trump—with his rhetoric and executive actions against “men in women’s sports”—and by other politicians worldwide. Several sports federations have barred transgender athletes, particularly transgender women, from competitions in recent years.
The IOC is expected to lay out new guidelines this spring, guidelines that are likely to include restrictions on transgender athletes at the 2028 Games. Such rules would complicate Olympic eligibility for transgender athletes, especially in the wake of Trump-era policies. At the ongoing Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, a transgender skier is set to compete in the women’s events (as reported by TheColu.mn).
