For many who have lived in traditional societies, it is well known that parents of intersex children—or babies born with ambiguous genitalia—face complex cultural and social challenges. In many of these societies, the concept of gender beyond a male-female binary has little meaning scientifically or socially. In such contexts, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that the parents of an Algerian boxer might have registered her as female without full regard to her biological characteristics, primarily to protect her from the stigma that surrounds non-binary gender identity in their community.
The undeniable reality is that the Algerian National Boxing Federation knowingly entered boxer Imane Khelif into the Olympic Games despite her complex biological status. While aware of her unique situation, they chose to proceed without full transparency. Compounding this, the International Olympic Committee, although informed by the International Boxing Association in June 2023, chose not to pursue additional expert testing that could have ensured a fairer playing field for all female boxers.
MISSING GENDER PROTOCOLS
Whether Imane Khelif is genuinely a female boxer, or—as journalist Alan Abrahamson reports, based on chromosomal test results—not biologically female, Khelif remains a victim of a larger failure. Missing gender protocols in Olympic Games policy, designed to both protect athletes’ dignity and promote fairness in competition, leave her and others exposed.
Imane Khelif, the Paris Olympics Gold medal winner in the Women’s 66kg Boxing competition
Khelif’s situation has highlighted the global sports’ lack of clear policies for safeguarding athletes’ rights.
In recent developments, Imane Khalif’s medical records were allegedly leaked to the press (Imane Khelif: neither ovaries nor uterus, but testicles – Le Correspondant), despite her efforts and those of the Algerian Boxing Federation to maintain confidentiality. Her file, originating from both the Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital in Paris and Mohamed Lamine Debaghine Hospital in Algiers, reveals a diagnosis of “Alpha 5 Reductase Type 2 deficiency,” an enzyme disorder that affects only males. This deficiency disrupts normal sexual development, causing affected boys to be born with atypical genitalia, which can lead to an incorrect female gender assignment. However, during puberty, individuals with this condition often exhibit masculinization, including increased body hair, muscle mass, and absence of menstruation. Further examination frequently uncovers male reproductive organs within the abdomen and reveals a lack of uterus and ovaries.
WHICH SIDE IS RIGHT?
On August 1, 2024, the International Olympic Committee issued a statement addressing the Khelif case, emphasizing that “misleading information” was circulating regarding two female athletes in the 2024 Paris Games. The IOC stated, “These two athletes have competed internationally in the women’s category for years, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and IBA World Championships. Their sudden disqualification by the IBA was arbitrary, lacking due process.”
IBA VS. IOC
Following the leak, Umar Kremlev, President of the International Boxing Association, issued a strong condemnation of the IOC on the IBA website, demanding an apology from IOC President Thomas Bach. Kremlev stated: “Everyone already knows the news. The International Olympic Committee has violated all principles of sportsmanship by allowing a man to compete against a woman. Medical tests have confirmed that Imane Khelif is indeed male. As the President of the IBA, committed to gender equality and integrity in boxing, I demand a formal, written, and verbal apology from Thomas Bach and his team to the global boxing community.”
There are also unconfirmed reports that Khelif is considering legal action to retain her place in the women’s boxing category at the 2024 Olympics. The unfolding of events surrounding Imane Khelif highlights the urgent need for gender identification protocols that respect athletes’ rights and ensure fair competition. Without a comprehensive, ethical approach to gender verification, athletes’ dignity and human rights remain vulnerable to exploitation.
