Boxing’s Blurred Lines: Algerian Female Champ’s Shocking Encounter with a Real-Life Opponent

Imane Khalif (26, Algeria) cheers after winning the gold medal by defeating Yang Liu (32, China) in the women’s 66kg boxing final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games held at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. ⓒ (GettyImages) / Korea Controversy erupted again after it was revealed that boxer Imane Kelif (26, Algeria), who won the gold medal in the women’s 66kg boxing class at the Paris 2024 Olympics amid a ‘gender controversy’, is male in biological. .

On the 5th (local time), several foreign media, including the Times of India, reported that medical documents obtained by French journalist Jafar Ait Audia indicated that the Caliph had internal testicles and XY chromosomes.

Audia released documents related to the Caliph and said, “The Caliph did not have a womb, but he had internal testicles and he had XY chromosomes. In addition, it was discovered that he has a 5-alpha reductase deficiency disorder, which is a symptom that only men experience,” he explained. This document was written in collaboration between the Kremlin-Bicetre Hospital in Paris, France and the Mohamed Lamine Dbagin Hospital in Algeria.

Earlier, Khalif defeated China’s Yang Liu (32) 5-0 (30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 30) in the women’s 66kg boxing final at the Paris 2024 Olympics held at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France in August 10. -27, 30-27) He won by decision and was awarded the gold medal.

This is the first gold medal in Algerian women’s boxing history, and the first gold medal in Algerian boxing in 28 years since Hosine Soltani at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. However, Caliph has been receiving unfavorable attention throughout the competition due to the ‘gender debate’.

Last year, he was disqualified from the world championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA) for having ‘XY chromosomes’. At the time, IBA President Umar Kremlev told the Russian state-run TASS news agency, “As a result of a genetic (DNA) test, Kelif was found to have XY chromosomes, so he was banned from the game.”

Afterwards, when the IBA lost the right to oversee the Olympics from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) due to judging irregularities, Khalif was forced to participate in the Olympics. IOC spokesman Mark Adams explained, “Chromosomes alone cannot determine the gender of an athlete, and since Caliph’s passport states ‘female,’ he can participate in women’s events.”

After several attempts, Caliph entered the Olympics and won the gold medal with overwhelming skills. Khalif won a 5-0 unanimous decision in all but the round of 16 matches at the Paris Olympics. In particular, in the round of 16, Angela Carini (25, Italy) withdrew 46 seconds after the start of the match. Carini left the ring crying after refusing to shake Khalif’s hand.

Nevertheless, Caliph claimed to be a woman, even filing a legal complaint, saying, “My reputation has been tarnished,” but as data to the contrary emerged, the controversy reignited.

Song Chi-hoon, Donga.com reporter sch53@donga.com