IOC Confirms Khelif Preparing Lawsuit Following Renewed Eligibility Questions

Paris Olympic boxing gold medalist Imane Khelif is again facing scrutiny this week regarding her eligibility to participate in the women’s category at Paris 2024. A French magazine, Le Correspondant, published a report last week asserting it had viewed a confidential medical document concerning the Algerian athlete. The BBC has not been able to confirm these assertions. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has consistently supported the boxer’s right to compete in the women’s division, stated that the recent report references “unverified documents whose origin cannot be confirmed.” The IOC further indicated that Khelif, who is already pursuing legal action against individuals who commented on her circumstances during the Games, is now “preparing a lawsuit” in reaction to this most recent report. An IOC spokesperson also commented, stating, “The IOC is saddened by the abuse that Imane Khelif is currently receiving.” Khelif, a participant in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and a World Championship silver medalist, has consistently maintained her eligibility for the women’s competition. The 25-year-old Algerian secured the women’s welterweight gold in Paris this summer, one year after her disqualification from the World Championships due to reportedly failing gender eligibility assessments. These assessments were carried out by the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA), an organization subsequently deprived of its global governing body recognition by the IOC due to concerns about integrity and governance. The IBA stated that Khelif “failed to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in women’s competition.” The IBA’s definition specifies a woman, female, or girl as “an individual with chromosome XX,” and men, males, or boys as “an individual with chromosome XY.” The IOC, however, challenged the validity and trustworthiness of the IBA’s tests, asserting that they were unreliable. As a result of this disagreement, the IOC assumed responsibility for organizing the boxing tournament at the Paris Olympics and implemented less rigorous eligibility standards. Both Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, who had also been barred by the IBA, received clearance from the IOC to participate in the Olympic Games. A subsequent and disorganized press conference conducted by the IBA did little to resolve the ambiguity surrounding the bans of Khelif and Lin. Chief executive Chris Roberts indicated that the athletes underwent “chromosome tests,” while president Umar Kremlev seemed to imply that the tests assessed the fighters’ testosterone levels. The BBC has not been able to ascertain the precise nature of these eligibility tests. Khelif’s initial Olympic match against Angela Carini concluded after 46 seconds, with the Italian boxer stating she ceased fighting to “preserve my life.” Carini subsequently offered an apology to Khelif, expressing she was ‘sorry’ for the negative reactions the Algerian encountered following the bout. Following her Olympic triumph, Khelif stated that she had experienced “bullying” and claimed the IBA “hate me.” Khelif asserted, “I am fully qualified to take part in this competition. I am a woman like any other woman.” She further declared, “I was born a woman. I have lived as a woman. I competed as a woman – there is no doubt about that.” The IOC also stated, “All the athletes who participated in the boxing tournament at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 complied with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, together with all the applicable medical regulations enacted by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU). As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes were based on their passport details.” BBC Sport has reached out to Khelif’s representatives for a statement.