Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif has confirmed that she underwent hormone treatment before competing at the Paris Olympics, saying the medical process was undertaken to lower her testosterone levels while firmly rejecting claims that she is transgender.
Khelif made the disclosure in an interview with a French sports daily, explaining that the treatment was done ahead of the 2024 Games to meet competition requirements. She went on to win the gold medal in the women’s 66kg division. She said she has female hormones and described the treatment as medically supervised, adding that doctors and academic specialists monitored her condition throughout the process. According to Khelif, she lowered her testosterone levels for the Paris Olympic qualifying tournament held in Dakar.
Her comments come after intense public scrutiny during the Paris Games, where her participation became the center of a global gender controversy. Khelif said she carries the SRY gene located on the Y chromosome but stressed that this biological detail does not define her gender identity. She said she was raised as a girl, grew up as a girl, and has always been known as one in her community.
Khelif said she respects those who have publicly commented on her case but maintained that the truth about her life should not be distorted. She said she is not a trans woman and has not done anything to change the way she was born. She described her physical differences as natural and said she is not afraid of scrutiny.
Looking ahead, Khelif said she is prepared to comply with mandatory gender testing required by the international body overseeing Olympic boxing. She said she has already submitted her medical records and hormone test results and is willing to undergo further testing if required for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Khelif has not competed since the Paris Olympics after being barred from a tournament in the Netherlands due to the introduction of chromosome testing. She said she is currently awaiting a French professional boxing license and described the pause as a logical next step in her career rather than a retreat.
She said her goal remains unchanged: to continue boxing and become the first Algerian athlete to successfully defend an Olympic title.
