Imane Khelif Confirms XY Chromosomes and Hormone Treatment Before Paris Olympics

(DailyAnswer.org) – Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif has publicly confirmed she possesses XY chromosomes and underwent hormone treatments to suppress testosterone before competing in women’s boxing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, reigniting fierce debate over biological fairness in women’s sports.

Story Snapshot

Algerian boxer Khelif admits to having the SRY gene on Y chromosome and taking hormone treatments to lower testosterone levels to zero before Olympic qualification
Confirmation comes after years of controversy, disqualifications, and leaked genetic test results showing male karyotype (XY chromosomes)
World Boxing now requires mandatory chromosome testing; Khelif previously withdrew from competition rather than submit to testing
Women’s sports advocates and conservative voices demand IOC rescind Khelif’s Paris gold medal, citing unfair biological advantages over female competitors

Khelif Breaks Silence on Genetic Makeup

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif revealed in a February 2026 interview with French sports publication L’Equipe that she possesses the SRY gene, a genetic marker found on the Y chromosome that triggers male biological development. The 26-year-old Olympic champion disclosed she underwent hormone treatments to reduce her testosterone levels to zero before the Dakar qualifying tournament that led to her Paris 2024 gold medal in the women’s 66kg category. Khelif emphasized she is not transgender and described her condition as a natural genetic difference, stating she is willing to undergo mandatory sex testing for future competitions including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Timeline of Controversy and Testing Disputes

The controversy surrounding Khelif dates to 2023 when the International Boxing Association disqualified her from world championships due to reports of XY chromosomes, which she disputed as “modified” results. The International Olympic Committee allowed her 2024 participation based solely on her female passport, sparking widespread criticism from conservative commentators including President Trump and author J.K. Rowling during the games. After Khelif won gold, World Boxing—the IOC’s new recognized governing body—mandated genetic chromosome testing for all women’s events. Rather than submit to testing at the 2025 Eindhoven Box Cup, Khelif withdrew and appealed the policy through the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

World Boxing Implements Stricter Standards

World Boxing’s mandatory chromosome testing policy represents a significant departure from the IOC’s previous passport-based eligibility standards that allowed Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting to compete in Paris despite genetic concerns. Leaked 2023 test results confirmed Khelif’s male karyotype with XY chromosomes, yet the IOC prioritized inclusion over biological sex verification. This erosion of fair competition standards in women’s sports demonstrates the very government overreach and disregard for common sense that conservatives have warned against. World Boxing’s stricter approach corrects this dangerous precedent, though questions remain about why Khelif previously refused testing if she now claims willingness to undergo it for 2028 qualification.

Safety and Fairness Concerns Mount

Female athletes and women’s sports advocates have intensified calls for the IOC to rescind Khelif’s gold medal, citing the inherent physical advantages conferred by male puberty and Y-chromosome development. Critics note that Khelif’s claim of reducing testosterone to zero appears physiologically implausible for an elite athlete competing at Olympic levels, suggesting retention of male-developed muscle mass, bone density, and skeletal structure. These biological advantages pose not only fairness concerns but legitimate safety risks in combat sports where opponents face greater force from athletes who developed through male puberty. Experts familiar with Differences of Sex Development conditions suggest Khelif’s case may resemble Swyer syndrome, where XY chromosomes produce male biological traits despite external female characteristics.

Khelif has submitted her medical and hormonal records to World Boxing but reports receiving no response from the organization. She currently pursues a professional boxing license in France while remaining under medical monitoring by professors, maintaining optimism about competing in the 2028 Olympics despite her banned status from current World Boxing sanctioned events. The case sets critical precedent for how international sports organizations will handle DSD athletes moving forward, potentially requiring hormone compliance and genetic verification rather than passport-based inclusion policies that undermine women’s sports integrity.