True extent of Imane Khelif's failed drug tests finally revealed
Imane Khelif won Olympic gold at last summer's Games in Paris, but the International Boxing Association have accused the Algerian of failing gender tests
IBA president Umar Kremlev has urged the IOC to strip Imane Khelif 's Olympic gold medal, alleging she failed gender tests in 2022 and 2023. The 26-year-old Algerian boxer, who clinched the women's welterweight title in Paris, faced controversy over her eligibility.
In a stunning display, Khelif knocked out Italy's Angela Carini in just 46 seconds during her second bout, with Carini leaving the ring in distress, reportedly exclaiming, "It's not fair." Despite competing in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Khelif's participation has been a contentious issue, especially after the IOC faced backlash for allowing her to compete.
Previously, at the IBA World Championships in New Delhi, Khelif was barred from a final against China's Yang Liu due to failing an unspecified eligibility test set by the Russian-led authority. Kremlev has now disclosed details of the 2022 test results from the world championships in Turkey, which he labelled as "abnormal."
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Kremlev said: "It was the first time we had encountered a situation like this, so we felt it was necessary to conduct a second round of testing to be absolutely sure before making such a serious decision."
The testing occurred a year later in India, according to Kremlev who revealed the findings were consistent: "Both tests showed XY chromosomes. That does not meet the eligibility requirements for female boxing. After that, the athletes were disqualified, and of course, we informed the IOC about the situation."
Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting was also amongst those who failed the gender verification tests. Informed of these results, both pugilists were allotted 21 days to challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport – neither contested, solidifying their disqualification.
Surprisingly, less than 12 months on, Khelif clinched Olympic glory, having been green lit by the IOC to participate in Paris. Kremlev accused the IOC president of betraying the sport, claiming their stance has led to sponsors withdrawing their backing for the Summer Games. Despite the furore, Khelif has publicly vowed to compete in 2028 in Los Angeles, and has hit back at criticism from US President Donald Trump.
Earlier this month, World Boxing apologised to Khelif after the boxer was named in the governing body's announcement of mandatory sex testing. A week prior to the apology, the governing body revealed that Khelif, 26, must undergo sex testing if she wishes to compete in any women's event organised or sanctioned by World Boxing.
The initial announcement from the governing body - which will oversee boxing at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 - had included the publication of a letter sent to the Algerian Boxing Federation, explaining the requirement for Khelif to undergo sex screening to continue to be able to compete in this month's Eindhoven Box Cup or any other women's event under its authority.
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