The Algerian boxer who dominated women’s boxing at the Paris Olympics admitted to both having a gene only present in males and to taking hormone treatments to lower his testosterone.
Imane Khelif, the 26-year-old who made headlines for competing as a woman despite failing multiple gender tests, told the French outlet L’Équipe on Wednesday that he had SRY (sex-determining region Y), a gene that determines male sex. Khelif also told the outlet that he took hormones to lower his testosterone levels before competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I have female hormones. And people don’t know this, but I have taken hormone treatments to lower my testosterone levels for competitions,” Khelif said. “For the Paris Games qualifying tournament, which took place in Dakar, I lowered my testosterone levels to zero.”
Khelif won the gold in the women’s welterweight division at the Olympics and did not lose a single round during the entire competition. That came after Khelif failed two gender tests administered by the International Boxing Association in 2019 and 2023, which is not affiliated with the Olympic Committee.
Khelif argued that “it’s natural” to have the SRY gene. “We all have different genetics, different hormone levels. I’m not transgender. My difference is natural. This is who I am. I haven’t done anything to change the way nature made me. That’s why I’m not afraid,” he added.
Reacting to the interview, Marshi Smith and Kim Jones, the co-founders of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports, said that it proved that Khelif was male.
“Algerian Olympic women’s gold medalist Imane Khelif has now confirmed he is male,” they said in a joint statement. “With men no longer eligible for Olympic women’s boxing under World Boxing rules, Khelif reportedly plans to box professionally in Europe—though he inexplicably says he will still undergo sex screening for the LA 2028 Games in hopes of competing.”
The controversy drew international attention, with President Donald Trump weighing in during his 2024 election campaign to say that Khelif was a man.
“I respect everyone, and I respect Trump. Because he is the President of the United States. But he cannot distort the truth. I am not a trans woman, I am a girl. I was raised as a girl, I grew up as a girl, the people in my village have always known me as a girl,” Khelif said Wednesday.
In July 2025, a leaked medical report on Khelif revealed the male karyotype, or chromosomal structure. Another report showed that Khelif had 5-alpha reductase deficiency, a rare autosomal recessive genetic condition impacting males.
Despite the reports and his admitting to having the SRY gene, Khelif told L’Équipe that he still wants to compete as a woman in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Khelif said he would take another gender test if required for the competition.
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