Why Did Imane Khelif Fail a Gender Test at the World Championships?

Many people are curious about the recent controversy surrounding Imane Khelif‘s participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her presence in the women’s boxing competition, after failing a gender eligibility test last year, has raised questions and sparked debate.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Algerian boxer’s eligibility, the details of her disqualification, and the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to allow her to compete.

Imane Khelif’s failed gender test explained

Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, failed a gender eligibility test conducted by the International Boxing Association (IBA) last year. This resulted in her disqualification from the Women’s World Championships in New Delhi. The test indicated that Khelif had male XY chromosomes, which disqualified her from competing in women’s events according to IBA criteria. Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting faced a similar disqualification for failing to meet the same eligibility criteria.

Despite these disqualifications, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed both Khelif and Lin to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics. The IOC cited the arbitrary and sudden nature of their disqualification by the IBA, emphasizing that it lacked due process.

The IOC took over the oversight of Olympic boxing due to governance and financial issues with the IBA. They ensured that all athletes participating in the Paris Olympics complied with its medical and eligibility regulations. These regulations are based on rules from the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.

The controversy intensified when Imane Khelif’s match against Italy’s Angela Carini at the Paris Olympics ended abruptly. Carini quit just 46 seconds into the bout after Khelif landed a powerful punch, causing a suspected broken nose.

Angela Carini, visibly upset, left the arena in tears, stating she had never been hit so hard in her career. This incident led to widespread criticism and concern from various quarters, including high-profile figures like author J.K. Rowling and billionaire Elon Musk, who voiced their opposition to Khelif and Lin competing in the Olympics.

The IOC responded to the criticism by condemning “aggression” against the two athletes. They attributed it to the IBA’s arbitrary decision and the IOC reiterated that the athletes had been competing at top levels for years without issues. They also noted that the disqualification at the World Championships lacked proper procedure. The decision was made by the IBA’s Secretary General and CEO without a comprehensive review or due process.

The IOC also pointed out that the IBA’s financial transparency and governance issues led to the IOC stripping the IBA of its Olympic recognition. To ensure fair regulations, the IOC established the Paris Boxing Unit (PBU) to oversee the boxing events at the Paris Olympics.