Imane Khelif celebrates parents amid latest gender controversy
Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif celebrated Global Parents Day in an Instagram post amid the boxer's latest gender controversy.
"Today, I became a champion, but it all started long ago! When my parents believed in me, even when the dream felt too big. When they supported me, listened to me, and stood by me.
"Being a parent isn't easy. There's no manual. But the love, patience, and trust you give your child can change everything. On this #GlobalDayOfParents, I just want to say thank you.
"Thank you to every parent who chooses, every single day, to be there for their children. Together with @unicefalgerie, I'm celebrating these everyday heroes. Because when parents are supported, children can dream and succeed."
Khelif's social media post came as a report from 3 Wire Sports, citing medical documents from chromosome tests given by the International Boxing Association (IBA) before the 2022 and 2023 world championships, reported that Khelif's DNA showed "markers with male karyotypes."
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) derecognized the IBA amid concerns about the organization's governance, financial reliance on Russian state energy firm Gazprom and integrity of the bouts.
"Chromosome analysis reveals Male karyotype. No numerical or chromosomal anomalies detected at 450-550 banding resolution," a screenshot of the document on 3 Wire Sports read. The test was at an accredited lab in New Delhi, called Dr. Lal PathLabs, before the boxing championships, according to 3 Wire Sports.
Fox News Digital reached out to World Boxing, the Algerian Olympic Committee and reps for Khelif for comment.
The IOC issued a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday morning.
"The IOC has always made it clear that eligibility criteria are the responsibility of the respective International Federation," the IOC said. "The factors that matter to sports performance are unique to each sport, discipline, and/or event. We await the full details how sex testing will be implemented in a safe, fair and legally enforceable way."
Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 championships before a gold medal bout over gender eligibility issues.
The boxer was thrust into the global spotlight after qualifying for the Olympics, with the gender controversy coming to light. Khelif defeated Angela Carini in the initial fight during the Paris Olympics, and the IOC defended Khelif.
"Everyone competing in the women's category is complying with the competition eligibility rules," said IOC spokesperson Mark Adams. "They are women in their passports, and it's stated that this is the case, that they are female."
Then, the IBA doubled down, saying Khelif – along with Taiwan's Lin Yu-thing – were disqualified from the world championships due to "a result of their failure to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women's competition, as set and laid out in the IBA Regulations. This decision, made after a meticulous review, was extremely important and necessary to uphold the level of fairness and utmost integrity of the competition."
The IBA added that Khelif underwent two tests: one in 2022 and the other in 2023. The IBA said Khelif appealed the decision to the Court for Arbitration of Sport but withdrew during the process, making the "IBA decision legally binding."
As the controversy grew, Khelif kept on winning and eventually was awarded a gold medal.
Throughout the controversy, Khelif has maintained that their gender is female. Khelif even filed a lawsuit against detractors and critics on social media.
Before World Boxing made its decision, Khelif was planning on participating in the 2028 Olympics despite President Donald Trump's "No Men in Women's Sports" executive order was signed.
Khelif told ITV that the policies do not apply to the boxer.
"I will give you a straightforward answer: the U.S. president issued a decision related to transgender policies in America. I am not transgender. This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me. That is my response," Khelif told the outlet.
"For me, I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl. I was born a girl, raised as a girl, and have lived my entire life as one."
World Boxing said last week that Khelif must take a sex test before being able to compete in sanctioned fights.
"Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup, 5-10 June 2025 and any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing's rules and testing procedures," a letter sent by World Boxing to the Algerian Boxing Federation read.
The letter also stated that World Boxing decided to adopt mandatory sex tests this month.
"These new eligibility rules were developed with the express purpose of safeguarding athletes in combat sports, particularly given the physical risks associated with Olympic-style boxing," the letter read.
World Boxing added in a statement that the new policies are "designed solely to ensure the health and safety of all participants in World Boxing competitions (including Imane Khelif) and is not deemed to in any way pre-judge the outcome of any testing that will be introduced as part of the new policy on 'Sex, Age and Weight.'"
On Monday, World Boxing apologized to the Algerian Boxing Federation for singling Khelif out in the letter.
"I am writing to you all personally to offer a formal and sincere apology for this and acknowledge that her privacy should have been protected," World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst reportedly said in a letter.
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