The Controversy Around Imane Khelif: A Deep Dive Into Gender and Sports

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has sparked a heated debate about gender in sports. Her controversial disqualification from the 2023 world championships, allegedly for high testosterone levels, has drawn criticism from politicians and public figures. The International Olympic Committee has called out the International Boxing Association for lack of transparency.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif finds herself at the heart of a gender in sports controversy, following the abrupt withdrawal of her Italian competitor, Angela Carini, at the Paris Olympics.

Conservative figures, including former US President Donald Trump and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, have voiced their discontent. Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing unclear eligibility tests set by the now-banned International Boxing Association.

Khelif's disqualification has been shrouded in ambiguity, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) labeling the decision by the IBA to bar her and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting as "sudden and arbitrary," accusing the IBA of lacking transparency.

Khelif's case has become a focal point for debates on inclusion, fairness, and gender testing protocols in sports, especially given the IBA's controversial governance and its ties to Russian state-owned enterprises.

(With inputs from agencies.)