Exploring controversy surrounding boxer Imane Khelif's alleged failed gender test after being given Olympic clearance

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is set to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics despite reportedly failing a gender eligibility test last year. The decision to allow Khelif to participate has sparked controversy and raised questions about fairness in women's sports.

The 25-year-old boxer was disqualified from the International Boxing Association (IBA) 2023 Women's World Championships in New Delhi after allegedly failing a DNA test. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has since overturned the decision, permitting her to compete in Paris. Notably, Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, who was also disqualified on similar grounds, has been granted clearance to compete in the ongoing Games.

Khelif has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the boxing world. She boasts an undefeated professional record and has amassed an impressive amateur resume, including a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships and gold medals at the African Championships and Mediterranean Games.

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A look into Imane Khelif's controversy surrounding her alleged failed gender test

The decision by the IOC to allow Imane Khelif to participate in the Paris Olympics follows a controversial episode where the Algerian fighter's gold medal bout in New Delhi in 2023 was canceled by the IBA due to a reported failed test.

Khelif and Lin Yu-ting were barred from the competition after tests allegedly indicated the presence of XY chromosomes, which are typically found in males. They were subsequently disqualified by the IBA, with the organization's president Umar Kremlev accusing some fighters of attempting to mislead their competitors.

“Based on DNA tests, we identified a number of athletes who tried to trick their colleagues into posing as women.” [H/t: NBC News]

Both fighters have consistently competed in women's categories, and neither has identified as transgender or intersex. Their cases have brought to light the complexities and controversies of gender verification in sports.

In 2021, the IOC revised its gender eligibility rules, allowing each sport’s governing body to determine its own standards. However, the IOC no longer recognizes the IBA as the governing body for Olympic boxing.