Imane Khelif Is Male According To Doctor's Testimony
A recent press conference in Paris has brought to light crucial details about Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting. The event featured expert testimony from Dr. Ioannis Filippatos, an experienced Ob-Gyn.
![Getty/Richard Pelham](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.datocms-assets.com%2F109366%2F1723503118-gettyimages-2165114870.jpg%3Far64%3DNTo2%26crop%3Dfaces%26fit%3Dcrop%26fm%3Dwebp&w=1920&q=75)
Dr. Filippatos, the former Chair of the International Boxing Association Medical Committee, unequivocally confirmed that neither Khelif nor Lin are biological females.
He also criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for relying on passports to determine gender, stating, "Medicine is knowledge, it is not opinion. One passport can give to us the opportunity to be men, and, tomorrow when I go back to Athens, I can go to my government and change my name from Ioannis to Ionnia. That means I am a woman tomorrow? Please. The nature and the biological world do not change."
Dr. Filippatos' statements were backed by DNA tests conducted during the 2023 International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championships in New Delhi and a prior test in Turkey in May 2022.
According to Dr. Filippatos and sports journalist Alan Abrahamson writing for 3 Wire Sports, both tests revealed that Khelif Lin Yu-Ting have male chromosomes (XY).
During that same press conference, it was also revealed that both Lin and Khelif were allegedly reported by other boxers and coaches, prompting the DNA tests. Despite this, the Algerian and Taiwanese Olympic Committees have refused to allow IBA to release the results of these tests.
"If the athletes want to prove they were born women, they have to do it themselves. They didn't do that," Dr. Filippatos explained.
Both Khelif and Yu-Ting have continued to dominate at the Olympics, winning every single round against their competitors.
The IBA Versus the IOC
Abrahamson, an award-winning sportswriter for 3 Wire Sports, who has also evaluated the public documents and seen the test results has suggested that the IBA has been more transparent than the International Olympic Committee.
As outlined by Abrahamson, IOC president Thomas Bach responded to IBA's concerns about the athletes by stating, "We have two boxers, who are born as a woman. Who have been raised as a woman. Who have a passport as a woman. And who have competed for many years as a woman. And this is the clear definition of a woman. There was never any doubt about them being a woman."
“What we see now is that some want to own the definition of who is a woman, and there I can only invite them to come up with a scientific-based new definition of who is a woman and how can somebody being born, raised, competed and having a passport as a woman cannot be considered a woman?" he went on.
“If they are coming up with something, we are ready to listen. We are ready to look into it. But we will not take part in a politically motivated – sometimes politically motivated – culture war. And allow me to say that what is going on in this context in the social media, with all this hate speech, with this aggression and abuse and fueled by this agenda, is totally unacceptable.”
However, as Abrahamson points out in his article, "When Bach says the IOC is 'ready to listen' and 'ready to look into it,' the obvious question – what about the IBA letter sent in June 2023?"
Apparently, the IOC has no interest in doing testing of their own. And, as of now, their only criteria for female boxers is that “the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport," which has alarmed and concerned many.
The IOC's statements became even more concerning when they issued a correction after their press conference correcting Bach's statements. During the conference, Bach said, "This is not a DSD case..." but the correction stated that what he actually intended to say was, "This is not a transgender case."
Khelif has never publicly identified as transgender, leading to speculations of Difference of Sexual Development (DSD). DSDs encompass a variety of medical conditions where genitalia are atypical in relation to chromosomes or gonads. This category was made widely known by South African runner Caster Semenya’s case, who has XY chromosomes and male gonads but was raised and competed as a female.
Some also speculate that there is a concerning trend of poorer countries exploiting male athletes with DSDs, such as alpha-5 reductase deficiency (referred to as “Guevedoces," which translates to “penis at 12”) or Partial Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (PAIS), by listing them as female in order to gain money and acclaim.
The correction could suggest that the IOC is aware that Khelif is likely a male with DSD, or they at least think it's a strong enough possibility to clarify their statements, but have still chosen not to disclose that information or confirm with additional testing.
The Test Results
Abrahamson highlighted the June 5, 2023, letter from the IBA to the IOC, which detailed the results of the DNA tests that photographically reveal XY chromosomes. The New Delhi lab reports for both Khelif and Lin say the same thing: “Chromosomal analysis reveals Male karyotype.”
Abrahamson also reviewed the public documents regarding the IBA's disqualification decision. While the IOC claims that both athletes with disqualified "without due process," Abrahamson notes that the acting Algerian ambassador was present at the Board Meeting on March 25, 2023, and “invited to present the Algerian position and requested a second opinion on the issue.”
Apparently, the ambassador did not offer an alternative opinion. Additionally, Yu-Ting did not appeal the IBA disqualification to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Khelif initially lodged an appeal with CAS but dropped the case, prompting many to wonder why neither athlete was willing to provide additional testing or testimony to overturn the disqualification.
Conspiracy Theories
Many conspiracy theories about the IBA's motives and handling of the athletes' disqualifications have been circulating, largely thanks to a misleading piece from the Associated Press that muddies the timeline and suggests the athletes' disqualification somehow avenged or helped Russian competitors during a tournament in 2023.
However, a simple evaluation of the match-ups contradicts the narrative since the Russian competitors were defeated by other boxers who suffered no so-called "punishment" from the IBA. Yu-Ting was never matched with a Russian at all, and Khelif's match-up was so early in the tournament that it had no bearing on the finals.
As for those who claim that IBA only stepped in to disqualify them based on some self-serving timeline, Abrahamson breaks down the timeline as it was revealed in public documents. He concludes that the athletes were allowed to compete in the 2023 women's world championships in March despite undergoing chromosome tests in May 2022 because the results of those tests were received only after the conclusion of the event.
Therefore, Lin and Khelif were not disqualified at that time. When the athletes arrived in New Delhi for the 2023 championships, new tests were conducted to reconfirm the initial findings. The IBA minutes from March 25, 2023, explain that it was not possible to conduct additional tests when the athletes were outside of IBA control until their arrival in New Delhi.
The subsequent tests confirmed the initial results, which were communicated in a June 2023 letter from the IBA to the IOC.
You can read more about the additional claims surrounding Khelif and Yu-Ting here.
Closing Thoughts
While many online continue to insist that Khelif and Yu-Ting are female by throwing accusations at the IBA or pretending as if no additional testing is worth the effort to protect female athletes, the evidence available strongly suggests Khelif and Yu-Ting are not eligible to compete against women.
According to Dr. Filippatos, the determination of an athlete’s gender should be based on karyotype results, which are crucial for maintaining fair competition. This medical approach is essential to ensure that female athletes compete on a level playing field.
The issue is particularly significant in boxing, where the potential for serious injury is higher than in other sports, and this case brings to the forefront the issue of athletes with differences of sex development (DSD), as well as male athletes who identify as "transgender" in order to compete with women.
Evie deserves to be heard. Support our cause and help women reclaim their femininity by subscribing today.