Imane Khelif’s leaked lab test results raise questions about Olympic boxer's biological sex

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Imane Khelif won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics competing against women, but newly leaked test results reveal the Algerian boxer has male chromosomes despite the International Olympic Committee brushing off earlier claims and letting her compete anyway.

The test results, leaked by 3 Wire Sports, show that Khelif, 26, was found to have male XY chromosomes in a 2023 analysis performed by a certified Indian doctor.

“Chromosome analysis reveals male karyotype,” the results state, pointing to the presence of male DNA.

The test was done by Dr Lal Path Labs in New Delhi, India, which holds accreditations from both the American College of Pathologists and the International Organization for Standardization.

But the IOC didn’t think so. According to the Telegraph, they dismissed the test as “not legitimate” and “ad hoc,” and even suggested the results could be Russian misinformation aimed at stopping Khelif.

Fellow athletes voice their fear before new policy is implemented 

Imane Khelif was greenlit for Paris and went on to win gold despite the bombshell test reports, leaving women’s boxing in turmoil. Fellow athletes have been vocal about the fear they felt facing her.

Angela Carini of Italy said she was absolutely terrified during her Olympic match, which ended in a mere 46 seconds.

In 2022, Mexico’s Brianda Tamara Cruz recalled having a sense of helplessness. “I don’t think I had ever felt like that in my 13 years as a boxer, nor in my sparring with men,” Cruz admitted.

However, the pressure is now mounting.

Just days ago, World Boxing dropped a new policy that any athlete over 18 has to undergo genetic testing (a simple cheek swab) if they want to compete in women’s categories.

Imane Khelif faces backlash after lab test results leaked

The leaked test sparked quite a reaction on social media, with many celebs and sports figures weighing in.

JK Rowling called the development “a win for women.” She posted on X, “It’s a win for women because they won’t be battered to death in the ring by men. If you had any idea what physical tests women go through routinely in their lives, you’d know a cheek swab is no bigger deal than flossing your teeth. Any more moronic questions, wing them over.”

Piers Morgan also felt vindicated. “The biology-denying woke brigade abused and shamed me for saying it was outrageous and dangerous for Khelif to be beating up women at the Olympics. I’m ready for their apology, but won’t hold my breath," he wrote.

Former Olympian Sharron Davies wrote, “When did we stop believing in our eyes & gut! Oh yeah, when we decided women’s sport didn’t matter…”

Conservative activist Riley Gaines added, “To all the people that insisted Imane Khelif was a woman because his passport said so. You were wrong. We were right. Sincerely, People with functioning eyes and a shred of honesty.”

What happens now?

According to documents, the date on Imane Khelif’s chromosome test was March 17, 2023—the same year she was disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA) for “failing gender eligibility tests.”

Now, World Boxing—which has a growing role in Olympic oversight—says anyone wanting to compete in women’s events for the Los Angeles 2028 Games must undergo PCR sex testing.

That’s a cheek, saliva, or blood swab looking for the SRY gene—the smoking gun for the Y chromosome, which determines biological sex. The new rule is part of their “Sex, Age, and Weight” policy, aimed at making competitions “safe and competitive.”

World Boxing sent a formal letter to the Algerian Boxing Federation, saying Khelif is banned from female events—including the Eindhoven Box Cup—until she submits to official testing.

It's worth noting that Khelif has never offered proof beyond her word that she is female, but she insists she’ll compete in upcoming games.

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