Olympic Boxing Champ Khelif Back in The Spotlight

Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif is back in the spotlight this week following fresh questioning of her eligibility to have competed in the women’s competition at Paris 2024.

A report last week in French magazine Le Correspondant claimed to have seen a leaked medical report about the Algerian.

The BBC has been unable to verify the claims.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has repeatedly defended the boxer’s right to participate in the women’s category, says the report cites “unverified documents whose origin cannot be confirmed”.

The IOC says Khelif, who is already taking legal action against individuals who commented on her situation during the Games, is now “preparing a lawsuit” in response to the latest report.

“The IOC is saddened by the abuse that Imane Khelif is currently receiving,” a spokesperson added.

Khelif, who competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and who is also a World Championship silver medallist, has always insisted she is eligible for the women’s competition.

The Algerian, 25, won women’s welterweight gold in Paris this summer a year after being disqualified from the World Championships for reportedly failing gender eligibility tests.

The tests were conducted by the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA), who were later stripped of their world governing body status by the IOC over integrity and governance issues.

The IBA said Khelif “failed to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in women’s competition”.