A doctor who is said to have co-authored the ‘leaked’ report claiming that Imane Khelif, a gender boxer at the Olympics, is a biological man, has broken his silence.
Fresh calls to strip Khelif of the gold medal she won in Paris emerged on Tuesday after the findings of the alleged report, which reportedly dated back to 2023, surfaced online.
Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting were at the center of a ‘gender feud’ controversy at the Olympics after both were given the green light to compete despite failing gender eligibility tests at last year’s world championships.
Both boxers brushed aside the criticism and went all the way to winning the top Olympic gongs in their respective weight categories, with their participation defended by IOC president Thomas Bach.
However, the issue over Khelif’s credibility in winning women’s gold at the Olympics was thrust back into the spotlight following an apparent leaked excerpt from a report, first reported by Imageclaiming that Khelif is a “biological male” – although it is still unclear whether the report is legitimate.
An alleged report on Imane Khelif’s biology has apparently revealed that she is a biological male
Piers Morgan (right) has made calls for Khelif (left) to be stripped of her Olympic gold medal
Khelif has previously insisted she is a biological woman despite failing gender eligibility tests at last year’s world championships (Photo: Khelif in 2023)
Khelif pictured in September at a Bottega Veneta show as part of Milan Fashion Week
The report is said to be a collaboration between French and Algerian expert endocrinologists working at the Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital in Paris and the Mohamed Lamine Debaghine Hospital in Algiers.
The unverified report claims that Khelif has masculine features.
But Jacques Young, an endocrinologist at Bicêtre Hospital in Paris who reportedly co-authored the document, told DW in Germany that he believes his name is being used to spread false information.
In a statement to DWThe Algerian Olympic Committee said: “These attacks, often based on unfounded accusations, aim to tarnish the image of an athlete who brought honor to our nation on the international stage.
“We strongly condemn these attempts at destabilization, which have no place in the sports world.”
The IOC said it “will not comment while legal action is ongoing, or on media reports of unverified documents whose provenance cannot be confirmed.” It then reiterated a statement issued following the Paris Olympics controversy.
When Piers Morgan heard the news, he went to X, where he denounced the IOC’s decision to allow Khelif to participate in the Paris Games and demanded that she be stripped of her gold medal.
A furious Morgan posted to his 8.8 million followers on Thursday: ‘Confirmation of what some of us said at the time: Khelif is a biological male. The gold medal should now be abolished and awarded to the best real woman.”
Meanwhile, tennis legend Martina Navratilova also spoke out on the subject, supporting Morgan’s claim that Khelif should have her medals stripped.
In a message at Xshe said, “What we’ve been saying for months. And because we called him a man or at least a man, we got all kinds of names and especially the women that this man took and won medals from. Just terrible’.
Laura Woods was among those who revisited boxing’s Olympic gender row
Sports presenter Laura Woods has also shared her thoughts on Khelif’s participation in the Olympics and the wider transgender debate.
“Transgender people absolutely MUST have a place in sports, but NOT at the expense of safety or fairness for women,” she tweeted. ‘And it is not up to women to find that solution. These categories must be protected.
‘Fairness and safety SHOULD be the most important factors in sports. At ALL levels. Including and especially grass routes. This cannot continue to happen.’
She added that she has lost friends as a result of her stance.
Khelif defeated Chinese boxer Yang Liu by unanimous decision to win gold at the Olympics in an eventful run to the medal, leaving Italy’s Angela Carini in tears after struggling with her opponent’s power.
Khelif has previously insisted she is a biological woman and raged at reporters after the gold medal win at the Paris Olympics, stating: ‘As to whether I am eligible or not, whether I am a woman or not, I have made many statements in the media.
“I am fully qualified to participate in this competition. I am a woman like any other woman. I was born a woman, I lived as a woman, I competed as a woman, there is no doubt about that.
‘[The critics] are enemies of success, that’s what I call them. And that also gives my success through these attacks a special flavor.’
Khelif defeated Chinese boxer Yang Liu (right) by unanimous decision to win gold at the Olympic Games
Khelif previously claimed she is a ‘woman like any other woman’ after winning Olympic gold
The fallout surrounding Khelif’s participation in the Olympics, along with that of fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting, prompted cries of anger from author JK Rowling and Elon Musk on social media, while Donald Trump also blasted the Algerian fighter.
Nabil Boudi, Khelif’s Paris-based lawyer, later revealed that they had opened a lawsuit with French authorities over online comments about her gender.
No individuals have been named as defendants in the lawsuit, but a number of well-known celebrities have been referenced for their social media posts.
The 25-year-old Olympic champion revealed at the time that she had “suffered a lot of pain” due to intense scrutiny about her gender and questioned the intentions of those she believes harassed her.