by Imane Khelif, the Olympic boxing champion at the center of a gender controversy this summer, has reportedly taken legal action following reports of leaked medical documents.
Khelif came under scrutiny at Paris 2024 after her first-round opponent Angela Carini bowed out in 46 seconds – after receiving just one punch from the Algerian.
Khelif, 25, won welterweight gold, a year after being disqualified from the International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championship for allegedly failing a gender eligibility test.
Many unfounded claims circulated during the Paris Games, including that Khelif was previously a man and is now a transgender or intersex athlete. There is no evidence to support either of these claims, while the IBA has alluded to the presence of XY chromosomes but never made an outright accusation and presented no proof.
Today, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Khelif was taking legal action over allegations made online and on social media, which refer to “unverified documents whose origin cannot be confirmed.” .
An IOC spokesperson said, according to The telegraph And The times: “We understand that Imane Khelif has taken legal action against individuals who commented on her situation during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and is also preparing legal action in response to the latest information.
“The IOC will not comment while legal proceedings are pending, nor on media reports regarding unverified documents whose origin cannot be confirmed.
“Imane Khelif has been competing in the women’s category in international boxing competitions for many years, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the International Boxing Association World Championships and IBA-sanctioned tournaments.”
Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting also won gold in Paris, after also being disqualified from the 2023 IBA World Championship.
The IBA previously organized Olympic boxing but stopped doing so ahead of the 2021 Games in Tokyo. The IOC, which ultimately oversaw boxing in Tokyo and created the Paris Boxing Unit this summer, split from the IBA over concerns over the organization’s finances and its ties to Russia, as well as due to corruption fears. At the time, the IBA accused the IOC of acting against “the best interests of boxing and the athletes”.
In this week’s news around Khelif, the IOC adds: “All athletes who participated in the Paris 2024 boxing tournament complied with the rules of eligibility and registration for the competition, as well as all applicable medical regulations issued by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU).
“As in previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of athletes were based on their passport details.
“These rules also applied during the qualifying period […] The PBU used the Tokyo 2020 boxing rules as a basis to develop its regulations for Paris 2024. The aim was to minimize the impact on athlete preparation and ensure consistency between Olympic Games. These Tokyo 2020 rules were based on the post-Rio 2016 rules, which were in force before the IOC’s suspension of the IBA in 2019 and subsequent withdrawal of recognition by the IOC in 2023.
“Eligibility rules must not be changed during ongoing competitions, and any rule changes must follow appropriate processes and must be based on scientific evidence.
“The IOC is committed to protecting the human rights of all athletes who participated in the Olympic Games. The IOC is saddened by the abuse of which Imane Khelif is currently a victim.
The Independent has contacted the IOC for comment.
