Imane Khelif Retains Olympic Gold Amid Gender Controversy; No Official Stripping Of Medal
Two Olympic boxers have had their medals revoked before, but for different reasons than Imane Khelif. Khelif won the gold medal in the women’s 66kg welterweight boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, defeating Yang Liu of China. However, before the 2023 World Championships, she failed an undisclosed gender-related test conducted by the International Boxing Association (IBA), raising concerns about her eligibility.
Despite this, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that she complied with all eligibility and medical rules for the Olympics and declared the IBA test invalid. Later, World Boxing—the new governing body replacing the suspended IBA—requested that Khelif submit to DNA testing before competing again.
Until she completes these tests, she is effectively barred from competitions, although World Boxing later apologized for publicly naming her in their letter. Khelif’s father confirmed she was born and raised female. Despite this, IBA chairman Umar Kremlev has urged her to give up her gold medal.
In comparison, previous Olympic medal revocations happened for clear rule violations. For example, Russian boxer Misha Aloian lost his 2016 men’s 52kg flyweight gold medal after testing positive for a banned stimulant. Similarly, American boxer Jack Egan was stripped of his 1904 silver and bronze medals because he competed under an assumed name, which violated Amateur Athletic Union rules at the time.
