05 November,2024 04:45 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Imane Khelif, Harbhajan Singh (Pic: AFP)
Months after the conclusion of the Paris Games, a fresh wave of controversy emerged surrounding Algerian boxer Imane Khelif's gender following the leak of a recent medical report.
The report, which French journalist Djaffar Ait Aoudia reportedly obtained, allegedly confirmed that Khelif was biologically male.
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The document said to have been compiled by specialists from the Kremlin-Bicetre Hospital in Paris and the Mohamed Lamine Debaghine Hospital in Algiers, detailed Khelif's biological traits, including internal testicles and XY chromosomes. These characteristics are commonly associated with a condition known as 5-alpha reductase deficiency, a form of intersex variation.
A snippet from the Khelif's medical report (Source: https://lecorrespondant.net/imane-khelif-ni-ovaires-ni-uterus-mais-des-testicules/)
Khelif garnered significant attention throughout the Paris Olympics 2024, where she claimed the women's 66kg gold medal. Her victory, however, was shrouded in controversy, as questions arose about her eligibility to compete in the women's division. Many critics, including high-profile figures, publicly labeled Khelif a 'biological man', questioning the fairness of her participation.
The leaked report caused an uproar, prompting former cricketer Harbhajan Singh to voice his concerns on social media. The former off-spinner also urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to revoke Khelif's gold medal.
Even Donald Trump, the former US president and 2024 presidential candidate, weighed in on the controversy, using Khelif's case as a rallying point to criticise the Biden-Harris administration's stance on gender in sports.
Together with Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, Khelif had been banned by the International Boxing Association (IBA) from participating in the World Championship Gold Medal bout in New Delhi last year, further fueling the debate surrounding her eligibility.
However, they were cleared to compete in Paris, setting the stage for one of the biggest controversies of the Games. After receiving a phone call from the Algerian president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the triumphant 25-year-old, in an interview with beIN Sports, was quoted as saying: "I was subjected to bullying and a fierce campaign and this is the greatest response to them." With the gold medal hanging around her neck, Khelif was asked at a packed press conference about the eligibility row that dogged her Games.
"I am fully qualified to take part, I am a woman like any other. I was born a woman, lived a woman and competed as a woman. "These are enemies of success," she added. "That gives my success a special taste because of these attacks."
