Imane Khelif: Gender Test, XY Chromosomes & Olympic Gold

Few storylines at the 2024 Paris Olympics sparked as much debate as the one around Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer who won gold while facing pointed questions about her eligibility. In early 2026, Khelif herself broke the silence, revealing in a CNN interview that she has XY chromosomes and underwent hormone treatments to lower her testosterone. This article pieces together the documented timeline of tests, rules, and disclosures — from the International Boxing Association’s disqualification in 2023 to her offer to take a sex test for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Age: 27 (as of 2026) · Nationality: Algerian · Olympic Gold: 2024 Paris Games · Height: 5′10″ / 178 cm

Six key facts, one pattern: the gap between what boxing authorities knew and what Khelif later confirmed publicly.

Has Imane Khelif taken a gender test?

Yes — Khelif has undergone at least two rounds of testing. The IBA said it conducted tests at the 2022 Istanbul and 2023 New Delhi women’s world championships (International Boxing Association). Khelif later told CNN that she had also taken medical tests under IOC supervision before the Paris Olympics (France 24).

What did the IBA test show?

According to the IBA, its tests found that Khelif had “competitive advantages over other female competitors” and she was informed on 12 April 2023 that she was not eligible to compete in IBA women’s events (International Boxing Association). The IBA said Khelif did not successfully appeal; the decision became binding after the appeal was withdrawn.

What test did Imane Khelif agree to for 2028?

Khelif stated in February 2026 that she would take a sex test if that allowed her to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics (France 24). She did not specify what type of test she would accept, but the offer marks a shift from earlier refusal to discuss her medical details.

The implication: each set of rules produces a different eligibility verdict for the same athlete.

Does Imane Khelif have XY chromosomes?

Yes, Khelif confirmed this herself. In a CNN interview reported by France 24, she acknowledged having XY chromosomes and said she had taken hormone treatments to lower testosterone before the Paris Games. The IBA had earlier stated that tests showed Khelif had XY chromosomes, though the organization did not release the raw data (GLAAD).

What did Imane Khelif reveal about XY chromosomes?

In her first on-the-record comments about the controversy, Khelif told CNN: “I have female hormones. People don’t know that I took hormone treatments to lower my testosterone” (France 24). She confirmed she was born with XY chromosomes but said she has never identified as anything other than a woman.

Does Imane Khelif have the SRY gene?

Neither Khelif nor official medical sources have publicly confirmed whether she carries the SRY gene, which is often associated with XY chromosomes in females with differences of sex development (DSD). The IBA’s statements have not specified the gene; they only refer to chromosome analysis. This remains an unresolved detail in the broader medical picture.

The pattern: institutional authority, not biology, determined eligibility.

Why did Imane Khelif fail the gender test?

The IBA states that Khelif failed its gender eligibility test because her chromosome analysis showed she has XY chromosomes, which the IBA considers incompatible with female competition (International Boxing Association). Khelif has not disputed that she has XY chromosomes but argues that she is female and that her high testosterone was medically managed.

What condition does Imane Khelif have?

Khelif has not publicly named a specific condition. Medical experts consulted by GLAAD note that XY chromosomes in an individual raised as female can be associated with a range of DSDs, such as complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) or 5-alpha reductase deficiency, but no diagnosis has been confirmed (GLAAD). The IBA’s president Umar Kremlev claimed DNA tests showed XY chromosomes, but that claim was not accompanied by a medical diagnosis.

What are the IBA’s criteria for female eligibility?

The IBA has its own eligibility rules that differ from the IOC’s. The IBA requires athletes in women’s events to have a chromosome test showing XX chromosomes. The IOC, by contrast, relies on each international federation’s rules; in boxing for 2024, the IOC directly organized the tournament and used its own framework, which considers factors beyond chromosomes, including testosterone levels and gender identity.

The catch: the same biology that disqualified her under IBA rules was acceptable under IOC rules.

What condition does Imane Khelif have?

As noted, no formal diagnosis has been released. Khelif described having a “natural” male gene in her CNN interview (France 24). The term “male gene” likely refers to the SRY gene, but Khelif did not specify. Without medical records, the precise condition remains unconfirmed. What is clear is that Khelif has high testosterone and undertook hormone treatments to reduce it.

Does Imane Khelif have a DSD?

It is likely, given the XY chromosome profile, but not officially confirmed. GLAAD noted in a 2024 fact-check that it was “not verified that Khelif has a variation in sex traits or DSDs” (GLAAD). The term DSD (differences of sex development) covers many conditions; without a diagnosis, it is appropriate to say only that she has XY chromosomes.

How does high testosterone affect Khelif?

Khelif said she underwent hormone treatments to lower her testosterone before the Paris Olympics (France 24). The treatments were done under medical supervision. High testosterone can provide athletic advantages in strength and speed, which is why many sports have limits on allowable levels. Khelif’s levels after treatment have not been publicly disclosed.

Did Imane Khelif admit to having XY chromosomes?

Yes. In the February 2026 CNN interview, Khelif explicitly acknowledged that she has XY chromosomes (France 24). This admission matched what the IBA had claimed for years, but Khelif framed it as a natural variation rather than a disqualifying condition.

Did Imane Khelif admit to having the SRY gene?

She did not use that specific term. She referred to having a “natural” male gene, which many media outlets interpreted as the SRY gene. Without a direct quote using “SRY”, it is more accurate to say she confirmed XY chromosomes, which in many cases involve the SRY gene — but that link has not been explicitly confirmed by Khelif or her doctors.

Does Imane Khelif have a child?

There is no publicly confirmed information about Imane Khelif having a child. The GLAAD fact-check noted that claims about Khelif’s family details remain unverified.

What did Imane Khelif say about hormone treatments?

Khelif revealed in the CNN interview that she took hormone treatments to lower her testosterone before the Paris Olympics: “I have female hormones. People don’t know that I took hormone treatments to lower my testosterone” (France 24). She has not stated how long she has been on treatment or what specific medications were used.

Why did Khelif undergo hormone treatments?

She said the treatments were prescribed by doctors to manage her naturally high testosterone. The goal was to bring her testosterone levels within the IOC’s acceptable range for elite female athletes. Khelif did not claim the treatment changed her chromosomes or her sex identity; it was a medical measure to comply with eligibility rules.

What is the timeline of Khelif’s medical disclosures?

• 2023: IBA disqualification based on chromosome tests. No public comment from Khelif.
• July-August 2024: Khelif competes and wins gold at Paris Olympics. Media controversy peaks.
• February 2026: Khelif gives CNN interview disclosing XY chromosomes, high testosterone, and hormone treatments (France 24).
• February 2026 (same month): Khelif says she would take a sex test for the 2028 Olympics.

The pattern: each disclosure came only after the controversy forced the issue into public view.

Timeline

• 2023: IBA disqualifies Khelif from Women’s World Championships citing gender eligibility test failure (International Boxing Association).
• 24 March 2023: IBA confirms disqualification after tests at 2022 Istanbul and 2023 New Delhi championships (International Boxing Association).
• 12 April 2023: IBA formally informs Khelif of ineligibility (International Boxing Association).
• July-August 2024: Khelif wins Olympic gold at Paris Games; opponent quits in first bout (Sky Sports).
• February 2026: Khelif gives CNN interview, reveals XY chromosomes and hormone treatments (France 24).
• February 2026: Khelif says she would take a sex test for 2028 Olympics (France 24).
• 2025-2026: World Boxing bars Khelif from a Netherlands tournament due to absence of a chromosome test (France 24).

The consequence: no single test can resolve a dispute rooted in conflicting institutional rules.

Quotes from Khelif and the IBA

“I have female hormones. People don’t know that I took hormone treatments to lower my testosterone.”

Imane Khelif, CNN interview reported by France 24

The IBA stated that Khelif was disqualified after tests “found that the athletes had competitive advantages over other female competitors.”

International Boxing Association, IBA official statement

“I would take a sex test if it allowed me to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.”

Imane Khelif, quoted by France 24

For the International Boxing Association, the case is closed: Khelif does not meet their chromosome-based criteria. For the IOC, which organized the 2024 boxing tournament, she met all applicable rules. For Khelif, the consequence is that she remains unable to compete under World Boxing—the organization vying for Olympic recognition—unless she agrees to a new chromosome test. Her offer to take that test for 2028 suggests she believes it will not disqualify her again. The real ambiguity is whether any single test can settle a dispute that is as much about institutional authority as it is about biology. The catch: Khelif remains caught between two ruling bodies with opposing definitions of eligibility.

For a more detailed breakdown of Imane Khelif’s gender test and the scientific evidence behind it, see detailed breakdown of Imane Khelifs gender test.

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