Imane Khelif’s coach reveals controversial medical findings after the boxer’s gold medal victory.
The recent Olympic gold medal win by Imane Khelif has been clouded by controversy.
Imane Khelif faced criticism after revelations about her medical issues emerged.
She was accused of failing the gender eligibility criteria, which led to her disqualification from women’s competitions last year.
The situation has sparked intense debates and scrutiny regarding the eligibility of athletes in women’s categories.
Imane Khelif sparked medical controversy after failing a gender eligibility test.
Imane Khelif achieved significant success in boxing at the Paris Olympics. However, she faced a major setback when the International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified her after medical tests.
According to report, these tests indicated that Khelif might have “a problem with hormones”.
This result potentially indicates the presence of XY chromosomes, which are typically associated with males.
This revelation came from her coach, Georges Cazorla. Then, he shared that the findings were devastating for Khelif, as they challenged her gender identity.
The coach of Imane Khelif, the Olympic gold medalist, is at the center of controversy. He revealed that a “problem with chromosomes” led to her exclusion from women’s boxing last year.
Additionally, Georges Cazorla, her coach, has now confirmed that the tests revealed “a problem with hormones” and “with chromosomes,”. He suggested that she might possess XY chromosomes typically associated with males.
‘This poor young girl was devastated, devastated to suddenly discover that she might not be a girl,’ he told French magazine Le Point.
Challenges in competitions of Imane Khelif
Khelif’s controversial status also impacted her performance in the ring. Additionally, Italian boxer Angela Carini, who faced Khelif in the round of 16.
She described the encounter as the most intense and painful experience of her career.
As a result, Angela lost the match, being defeated within 46 seconds.
According to Spanish coach Rafa Lozano, Khelif’s training sessions were marked by difficulties in finding appropriate sparring partner.
This situation further fueled debates about the fairness of her participation in women’s competitions.
Impact on the Olympic movement
Khelif’s victory, along with the success of other athletes like Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting, has intensified calls for a policy review.
There are growing demands for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reassess its regulations.
There are now demands for the IOC to potentially revise its regulations on gender eligibility in sports. Additionally, The IOC has not conducted chromosomal tests since 1999 and ceased testing for elevated testosterone levels in 2021.
They focusing instead on inclusion and non-discrimination based on gender identity and sex variation.
Additionally, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams affirmed that all competitors in the women’s categories comply with the eligibility rules.
However, IOC President Thomas Bach has expressed a willingness to adopt a “scientifically solid system” if an agreement is reached on how to address these complex issues.
Khelif has filed a formal legal complaint against online harassment and discrimination. Image Credit: Getty
In response to the controversy, Imane Khelif has filed a legal complaint.
After being accused, Khelif is seeking justice for what she describes as cyber harassment and discrimination.
While, her lawyer, Nabil Boud, emphasized that the complaint aims to address the misogynistic and racist campaign against Khelif.
Imane Khelif’s lawyer Nabil Boud said on Saturday:
‘Ms Khelif has recruited (our) firm which has filed, yesterday, a complaint for aggravated cyber harassment with the online hate unit of the Paris prosecutor’s’ office.
‘The criminal investigation will determine who has initiated this misogynistic, racist and sexist campaign but will also focus on who has fed this digital lynching.
‘The unfair harassment suffered by this champion boxer will remain the greatest stain of these Olympic Games.’