Imane Khelif is Not a Transgender Athlete

Francesca Capoccia

On August 1, 2024, Italian boxer Angela Carini faced Algerian athlete Imane Khelif in the round of 16 welterweight bout at the Paris Olympics. Carini abandoned the fight after 46 seconds.

Last Monday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed Khelif, who was excluded from the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi due to high testosterone levels, to compete at Paris 2024.

This decision has sparked significant discussion and controversy within the sports world and the general public, as Khelif has been baselessly labeled a “transgender athlete”. The participation of transgender athletes in women’s competitions has long been a contentious issue, also among the scientific community, due to the potential physical advantages these athletes might have over their competitors.

Former Irish featherweight world champion boxer Barry McGuigan called the IOC’s decision “shocking” on X (formerly Twitter), while Roberto Marti, Chairman of the Italian Senate Sports Committee and member of the League, described the decision as “absurd.” He referred to Khelif as “the trans boxer barred from last year’s World Cup for failing ‘gender eligibility tests'”. Italian Transport Minister and League leader Matteo Salvini also criticized the decision, referring to Khelif using male pronouns and calling her participation “a slap in the face to the ethics of sport and the credibility of the Olympics”.

Origins of the Dispute

At the 2023 World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, Khelif was disqualified just hours before her gold medal bout against Yang Liu due to elevated testosterone levels – the IOC said –, which did not meet eligibility criteria. The International Boxing Association (IBA), chaired by Russian Umar Kremlev, made this decision. Kremlev stated to the Russian news agency Tass that Khelif’s DNA tests showed she had XY chromosomes, leading to her exclusion from the competition. The XY chromosome pair is typically male. The IBA explained to The Guardian that the decision was made “following an extensive review and with the intention of upholding the fairness and integrity of the competition”.

This disqualification led to widespread misinformation about Khelif’s gender, with many falsely labeling her as transgender. However, Khelif has always competed in female categories and has never identified as transgender or male.

Apart from the IBA’s statements, there is no official evidence that Khelif has XY chromosomes. The IBA was disavowed last year by the IOC due to mismanagement and alleged corruption. For the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Paris Boxing Unit (PBU), a special unit created by the IOC, managed the organization of boxing competitions.

Sex Characteristics and Gender Identification

The presence of XY chromosomes alone is insufficient to define someone as male. Primary and secondary sexual characteristics also play a role. According to the Superior Institute of Health (ISS), primary sexual characteristics include gonads, where reproductive cells and sex hormones are produced. Secondary characteristics, such as voice timbre, hair distribution, muscle mass, and breast development, appear at puberty and accentuate differences between males and females.

Cases where sex characteristics do not fit typical notions are termed “developmental sex differences” (DSDs) or “variations in sex characteristics” (VSCs), commonly known as “intersexuality.” Up to 1.7 percent of people may have such variations, with androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) being the most common. AIS results from a genetic mutation affecting the androgen receptor, leading to reduced virilization at various life stages.

Elevated testosterone levels in female athletes can pose a problem due to the potential physical advantages they confer. However, testosterone is not exclusive to men; women can naturally have high levels, a condition known as hyperandrogenism. This can result from hirsutism, polycystic ovary syndrome, or congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

IOC’s Position

The IOC clarified that all athletes in the Paris 2024 boxing tournament must comply with eligibility and medical regulations. Specifically, section 3.1 of the rules requires a medical certificate stamped and signed by a competent medical authority within the previous three months. Khelif’s tests ahead of the Olympics showed no abnormal testosterone levels.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams reassured that all female competitors meet eligibility criteria and are recognized as women in their passports. He explained that rules on eligibility for women’s categories are complex and individual federations, not the IOC, decide who competes. Despite public speculation about Khelif’s gender, the Paris Boxing Unit’s decision confirms her eligibility for competition.