What happens when an athlete is so good at a sport that they are accused of lying about their sex? Algerian boxer Imane Khelif faced accusations of being a man after her win against Italian boxer Angela Carini in the 2024 Summer Olympics, because she wasn’t a conventionally attractive, white woman.
Following her gold medal victory in the women’s welterweight category of women’s boxing, Khelif has officially filed a lawsuit against the transphobic vitriol and abuse she experienced in the 2024 Summer Olympics. Khelif should not have experienced such abuse while competing in boxing. The notion that Khelif would not have experienced this harassment if she had been conventionally attractive, or a white-passing woman, is insulting to Khelif and every female athlete. The idea that female athletes should prioritize being conventionally attractive over training to become the best in their respective sport is degrading.
Unfortunately, this incident was not the first time Khelif was pushed into the public eye because of derogatory attacks against her femininity. During the Women’s World Boxing Championship in March 2023, the International Boxing Association disqualified Khelif and Chinese Taipei boxer Lin Yu Ting for failing to meet the gender identity test. The IBA officials have explained the boxers underwent chromosome tests to determine their testosterone levels. The chromosome tests measure the level of testosterone found per liter of blood but are unable to paint a fair and accurate picture of an athlete’s sex. Athletic organizations fail to understand that females can have higher or lower levels of testosterone in their body because of genetic and environmental factors, which should not be used to determine an athlete’s biological sex. These tests are not only inaccurate, but also strengthen the misogynistic remarks cisgender female athletes face. As a result, cisgender female athletes whose tests depict higher levels of testosterone face significant harassment and bullying and accusations of being male. Despite the false allegations regarding Khelif’s gender — which the IBA even failed to prove by not producing the test results at a conference intended to explain the reasons for the boxers’ disqualification — the International Olympic Committee cleared her for the Paris games and continued to support her on and off screen.
The current controversy began following Khelif’s victory over Carini. Carini withdrew from the fight within 46 seconds and refused to shake Khelif’s hand, a stark deviation from good sportsmanship. Carini said that she had “never been hit so hard in [her] life.” The result of the match has led to a public discussion regarding Khelif’s eligibility as a female boxer and placed a greater emphasis on her IBA ban in 2023. The online harassment rapidly escalated when notable public figures, such as author J.K. Rowling and billionaire Elon Musk implied Khelif is biologically male and does not belong in women’s sports on their respective social media accounts, which garnered hundreds of millions of views. Carini, however, has since apologized and stated that she respects the IOC’s support of Khelif competing in women’s boxing.
Khelif’s situation expands on the dangers of allowing false rumors to influence public opinion and sports governance. Her story is unfortunately not the first incident that sparked debate over an athlete’s gender. Several well-known female athletes such as Serena Williams, known as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, has also had to stand up against critics and those making false allegations about her biological sex. These critics are unable to understand that women, trans or otherwise, are simply pursuing their goals through sheer hard work and determination. Women should not have to spend time addressing critics simply for not representing an ideal feminine body or conventional attractiveness.
As the legal proceedings unfold, Khelif continues to maintain her courageous stance. This is not only her personal fight against cyberbullying, but also a revolution that can change the landscape of women’s sports. The case could become a landmark moment in the ongoing conversation about gender, identity and fairness in athletics. The case can prove that an athlete’s strength is not determined by conventional female or male characteristics. In doing so, athletes can focus on becoming champions in their sport and forgo the trauma of having the world calling them too masculine or feminine.
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