A World Boxing Organisation (WBO) official has claimed the International Olympic Committee was warned that Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif supposedly failed a female gender test.
Istvan Kovacs, the European vice president of the WBO and former Secretary General of the International Boxing Association (IBA) – the body which administered the test failed by Khelif – declared the IOC was informed in 2022 about the discrepancy but chose not to act.
Kovacs, himself a former Olympic and world champion boxer, told Hungarian outlet Magyar Nemzet: ‘The problem was not with the level of Khelif’s testosterone, because it can be adjusted nowadays, but with the result of the gender test, which clearly revealed that the Algerian boxer is biologically male.’
But the IBA’s claims over Khelif have been heavily scrutinised.
The governing body was permanently banned from the Olympics last year amid concerns over its murky testing standards and governance. Its officials have also continually refused to specify what kind of test they administered to Khelif.
IOC President Thomas Bach said there is no doubt Khelif is a biological woman and lambasted the unspecified IBA gender tests as ‘illegitimate’.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif defeated Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori (right) by unanimous decision on Saturday to clinch a semifinal spot
Imane Khelif of Algeria celebrates victory against Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary after the women’s 66kg quarterfinal round match on day eight of the Olympic Games in Paris on Saturday
President of the International Boxing Association Umar Kremlev (left) speaks at a press conference, alongside former Olympic champion Istvan Kovacs, who claims the IBA notified the IOC of Khelif’s failed ‘gender eligibility test’
The victories of Khelif and fellow boxer Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan in the ring in Paris have become one of the biggest stories of the Paris Games.
Khelif started her Olympic run last Thursday with a victory over Angela Carini of Italy, who abandoned the bout after just 46 seconds.
She complained that Khelif’s punches were unlike anything she had felt before and drew attention to the speculation over her gender.
Carini later said she regretted her decision and wished to apologise to Khelif.
But the shocking ending to the bout triggered a wave of vitriol directed at the Algerian on social media, with many high-profile figures – including former US President Donald Trump and Harry Potter writer J.K. Rowling – falsely claiming Khelif was a man or transgender.
Khelif herself has said that the wave of hateful scrutiny she has faced over misconceptions about her gender ‘harms human dignity,’ and has called for an end to bullying athletes after being greatly affected by the international backlash against her.
Speaking on Sunday in an interview with SNTV, the Algerian athlete said: ‘I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects,’ Khelif said in Arabic.
‘It can destroy people, it can kill people’s thoughts, spirit and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying.’
The 25-year-old boxer acknowledged the pressure and pain of enduring this ordeal while competing far from home in the most important event of her athletic career.
‘I am in contact with my family two days a week. I hope that they weren’t affected deeply,’ she said. ‘They are worried about me. God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal, and that would be the best response.’
She also expressed gratitude to the IOC and its president Thomas Bach for standing resolutely behind her while the banned former governing body of Olympic boxing stoked a furore around her participation in Paris.
‘I know that the Olympic Committee has done me justice, and I am happy with this remedy because it shows the truth,’ she said.
Khelif blows kisses to the crowd after defeating Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori by unanimous decision in a welterweight quarterfinal match at Paris 2024
Algeria’s Imane Khelif, right, defeats Italy’s Angela Carini in their women’s 66kg preliminary boxing match at the Summer Olympics on Thursday
Khelif reacts after defeating Hungary’s Anna Hamori in their women’s 66kg quarterfinal boxing match at the Olympics on Saturday
Though Khelif has been criticised heavily on social media, she has enjoyed massive support at her bouts.
France has a huge Algerian diaspora and the young boxer has drawn huge cheers each time she has entered the arena, with crowds waving Algerian flags chanting her name.
She will fight again Tuesday in the women’s 66kg semifinals at Roland Garros.
Khelif repeatedly made clear she won’t allow chatter or accusations to deter her from attempting to claim Algeria’s first Olympic gold medal in women’s boxing.
‘I don’t care about anyone’s opinion,’ Khelif said a day after beating Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary.
‘I came here for a medal, and to compete for a medal. I will certainly be competing to improve (and) be better, and God willing, I will improve, like every other athlete.’
Khelif is from rural north-western Algeria, and she grew up playing soccer until she fell in love with boxing.
She lost out at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 to eventual gold medallist Kellie Harrington of Ireland.
Her next bout in Paris is set to take place on Tuesday against Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand. If Khelif wins again, she will fight for a gold medal on Friday.
‘Yes, this issue involves the dignity and honour of every woman and female,’ she told an Algerian broadcaster in brief remarks Sunday after beating Hamori.
‘The Arab population has known me for years and has seen me box in the IBA that wronged me (and) treated me unfairly, but I have God on my side.’