Leaked medical report states controversial Olympic boxer has 'male' chromosomes

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No competitor could stop Imane Khelif at the Paris Olympics, but a leaked medical report might have floored any hope the boxer has of defending their gold medal in Los Angeles.

The document, which initially was published by 3 Wire Sports, summarizes the findings on the Algerian boxer as “abnormal,” stating: “Chromosome analysis reveals male karyotype.”

A karyotype refers to an individual’s complete set of chromosomes, with Khelif’s having been reported by the International Boxing Association (IBA) as XY, the male pattern.

Alan Abrahamson, an American journalist who first reported last year that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had been warned about Khelif’s now-published medical report, produced the result of a March 2023 test carried out in New Delhi. The results of the test caused the boxer’s disqualification from that year’s boxing championships.

The Algerian was part of a firestorm in Paris over the reported gender test from the 2023 event, but was allowed to compete in the women’s event in Paris and went on to dominate the competition.

The test results reportedly were carried out at Dr Lal PathLabs in New Delhi, which is accredited by the American College of Pathologists and certified by the Swiss-based International Organization for Standardization.

This latest revelation contradicts the claims of IOC spokesman Mark Adams, who had described the results as “ad hoc” and “not legitimate” during last year’s Games.

IOC president Thomas Bach also has claimed that the test results are the product of a Russian-led misinformation campaign, stating in an interview earlier this year that the IBA — headed by Russia’s Umar Kremlev — had been stripped of IOC recognition in a row over ethics and financial management.

The leak of the medical report comes just days after World Boxing ruled that Khelif would need to undergo sex screening to be eligible to compete in the female category at any future events.

Khelif has stated a desire to defend the gold medal at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Paris.

The boxer has yet to comment on the leaked medical report.