Fact Check: Was Imane Khelif stripped of her medals and banned for life by the World Boxing Organization?

ALGIERS, ALGERIA: A claim has been going around that Algerian boxer Imane Khelif — who brought home gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics — was banned for life by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) because she isn't a woman.

The rumor mill went into overdrive when World Boxing — a different group from the WBO — announced on May 30 that Khelif wouldn’t be allowed to compete in its events unless she first passed a genetic sex-screening test.

The eyebrow-raising posts, which claimed the WBO had not only banned Khelif but also yanked her prize money and medals, emerged on social media in late May. 

One such viral post on X (formerly Twitter) read, "Fantastic News! Imane Khelif has been banned for life after the WBO recognized her as a man, losing all her medals and $25 million in prize money."

Fact Check: No, the WBO didn't strip Imane Khelif of her medals and prize money

When reached by the fact-checking outlet Snopes, WBO President Gustavo Olivieri was quick to shut down the internet rumors. “The WBO does not oversee amateur boxing, nor does it have the authority to regulate or restrict the participation of amateur athletes in non-professional competitions,” he said.

“Accordingly, any claims suggesting that the WBO has imposed a ban on amateur boxers are patently false,” Olivieri added. He even reminded everyone that the WBO already made this clear back in an October 2024 news release, saying it had “not tested, nor had it banned female boxer Imane Khelif.”

This all goes back to 2023, when hours before her gold medal match at the Women’s World Boxing Championships, the International Boxing Association (IBA) made an unproven claim that Khelif didn’t meet the requirements to fight as a woman. No proof was presented at the time.

A year later, controversy erupted yet again after Khelif won the Olympic gold. This time, the backlash came from anti-trans activists, right-wing figures, and familiar voices like JK Rowling and Donald Trump.

World Boxing steps in with a sex test rule — and Imane Khelif is named

Despite the unfounded claims about Imane Khelif, it's true that World Boxing has laid down a new rule.

On May 30, the organization — a newer sanctioning body created by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after corruption concerns within the IBA — declared that “all athletes over the age of 18” who want to compete in its events must “undergo a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic test to determine their sex at birth and their eligibility to compete.”

They specifically mentioned Khelif in that announcement: "This decision reflects concerns over the safety and well-being of all boxers, including Imane Khelif, and aims to protect the mental and physical health of all participants."

While she isn't banned by World Boxing, Khelif will not be allowed to compete in the female category until she goes through that test. The decision came just as she was preparing for a big return at the Eindhoven Box Cup, set to run from June 5 to June 10.

What’s going on with Imane Khelif’s gender?

Imane Khelif, 26, has always competed in the women’s division, and there is no indication that she identifies as anything other than a woman.

However, some past reports cited the IBA claiming that Khelif may have XY chromosomes. That led to speculation that she could have a difference of sexual development (DSD) — a condition shared by athletes like Caster Semenya. But this remains unconfirmed.

Even the BBC couldn’t get a clear answer, saying they had "not been able to confirm whether this is or is not the case."

But the IOC declared last year that “this is not a transgender case.”

Meanwhile, Khelif’s professional boxing record is still clean. She’s only had one pro fight — a 2023 bout in Singapore that she won, as per Sports Illustrated.

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