Imane Khelif Told to Return Paris 2024 Gold Medal Amid Gender Controversy
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games were meant to be the crowning moment of Imane Khelif’s boxing career. But one year later, the Algerian champion finds herself at the center of a storm.
Khelif, who won gold in dramatic fashion, has now been officially told to return her medal following renewed gender eligibility scrutiny. The demand came from International Boxing Association (IBA) president Umar Kremlev, who publicly called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to revoke the medal and reassign it to the “real female owner.”
“There should be no unfair fights in boxing,” Kremlev told the Daily Mail. “Imane Khelif should be made to return the Olympic medal from Paris.”
Backlash from Multiple Fronts
The controversy began when Italian boxer Angela Carini, who was defeated in just 46 seconds by Khelif, questioned whether her opponent should have been allowed to compete in the women’s division. Carini’s remarks sparked a global debate that quickly escalated when former U.S. President Donald Trump chimed in, falsely suggesting that Khelif was not biologically female.
While Khelif denied any transgender identity, the firestorm around her only intensified. In June 2025, the boxer was officially banned from competing in the female category, citing gender eligibility concerns. Khelif had also been barred from the 2023 World Championships under similar circumstances.
Khelif Speaks Out
Despite the mounting scrutiny, the 26-year-old has defended herself passionately.
“I am not transgender. This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me,” she told ITV. “If the old Imane operated at 50 percent, the new Imane is even more determined.”
Khelif also revealed the toll the controversy has taken on her and her family, saying the attacks affected her mentally and forced her mother to seek frequent hospital treatment.
“This went beyond just sport. I was deeply affected,” she admitted.
IOC and IBA Clash Again
This latest development further widens the rift between the IOC and the IBA, which had its official recognition withdrawn by the IOC in 2023 over governance issues. Kremlev has since accused the Olympic committee of corruption and playing politics with athlete eligibility.
As global pressure mounts, the question remains: Will the IOC act on the IBA’s demands? Or will this remain yet another unresolved chapter in one of the Olympics’ most divisive controversies?
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