Fact Check: Is Olympic Athlete Imane Khelif a Man Competing in Women’s Boxing?
Italian boxer Angela Carini’s withdrawal from a match against Algerian boxer Imane Khelif sparked claims that Khelif is transgender. This rumor has been widely shared by celebrities like JK Rowling, Logan Paul, and Elon Musk, along with the media.
However, these claims are false. Imane Khelif, from a rural village in Algeria, began her boxing career in 2018. Her gender was not questioned during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The Algerian and Palestinian Olympic Committees have defended Khelif, condemning the misinformation. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) also confirmed that Khelif and another athlete, Lin Yu-Ting, have competed in women’s events for years and that the recent allegations are based on incorrect information. The IOC criticized the International Boxing Association (IBA) for handling the situation poorly and noted the need for a clear procedure on gender testing.
