Test results suggest male karyotype; IOC dismisses findings as “illegitimate”
Newly surfaced medical documents indicate that Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, the reigning women’s Olympic champion from the Paris 2024 Games, may possess male chromosomes, deepening a storm of controversy that has surrounded the athlete for more than a year.
Just 36 hours after World Boxing introduced mandatory sex screening for Khelif’s continued eligibility in women’s competitions, explosive documents published by 3 Wire Sports reveal that chromosomal testing conducted in March 2023 concluded Khelif has a “male karyotype.” The testing was carried out at Dr. Lal PathLabs in New Delhi, a facility accredited by the American College of Pathologists and certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
A challenge to IOC’s stance
The findings starkly contradict assertions by International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesperson Mark Adams, who dismissed the test results during a recent press briefing in Paris as “ad hoc” and “not legitimate.” IOC President Thomas Bach went further, insinuating the controversy might be part of a coordinated disinformation campaign allegedly fueled by Russian influence. The IOC officially withdrew recognition of the International Boxing Association (IBA)—then led by Russian Umar Kremlev—due to long-standing ethical and financial mismanagement.
Despite the controversy, Khelif, 26, has remained defiant, stating her determination to return for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in pursuit of another gold medal.
World Boxing tightens rules on gender verification
The latest development follows World Boxing’s announcement of new regulations that require all athletes over 18 to undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genetic testing to verify sex through DNA analysis via mouth swabs, saliva, or blood. Khelif, who was allowed to compete in the Paris Games under female classification, has yet to provide documented evidence confirming a female chromosomal profile.
Fellow athletes express concerns
The controversy has triggered alarm among fellow athletes. Mexican boxer Brianda Tamara, who fought Khelif in 2022, expressed retrospective unease: “I don’t think I had ever felt like that in my 13 years as a boxer, nor in my sparring with men.”
Italian boxer Angela Carini, another of Khelif’s opponents, said the power of Khelif’s punches left her fearing for her life during their bout.
Past bans raise further questions
Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting, both of whom won Olympic titles in Paris, had previously faced bans from the IBA for not having XX chromosomes, raising fresh questions about the oversight mechanisms that allowed them to compete at the Games.
Alan Abrahamson, an American journalist with 3 Wire Sports, reported during the Paris Olympics that the IOC had been alerted to Khelif’s genetic profile more than a year prior to the Games—information that may intensify scrutiny over the IOC’s decision-making process and transparency.
As the debate intensifies, the line between competitive fairness and gender identity in elite sports appears more contested than ever. Khelif’s case could soon become a watershed moment in how global sporting bodies handle sex verification in the future.
