Paris Olympics gold medalist Iman Khalif has once again come under scrutiny, as a leaked medical report confirmed the boxer to be a man and raised questions about her eligibility for the women's competition. The report, obtained by French journalist Djaffar Ait Aoudia, states that Khalif has a disease that affects sexual development, often resulting in ambiguous genitals and limited secondary male characteristics.
The report further states that Khalif had internal testicles and an XY chromosome makeup, which may be indicative of a genetic condition described as 5-alpha reductase deficiency.
Khalif caught everyone's attention by participating in the 66 kg category at the Paris Olympics due to her condition of being a hyperandrogenic woman. This sparked huge debate online, with many pointing fingers at the athlete's participation in the women's category. The gender controversy in sports came to the fore when Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew after being badly beaten by the Algerian boxer. Notably, Khalif had also failed the gender eligibility test at the 2023 World Championships.
Despite all the uproar, Khalif won the gold medal in her category, becoming the first woman from her country to achieve the feat. By then, the Algerian had faced heavy criticism from the sports world, including negative reactions from celebrities.
The report pointed to the absence of a uterus and the presence of a micropenis in Khalif's case. It also recommended surgical correction and hormone therapy, aimed at aligning the Algerian boxer's physical features with the boxer's self-perceived gender identity.
Khalif has always said she was right to participate in the women's category, claiming she is a woman. Responding to earlier controversies, the boxer claimed, "I was born as a woman, I live as a woman, and I am worthy."
IBA hits out at IOC president
The International Boxing Association (IBA) has hit out at International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Bach, asking him to 'kneel down and apologise' to the female boxers who were beaten and abused by Khalifa following recent revelations.
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