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Imane Khelif Confirms Hormone Therapy, SRY Gene as She Seeks Clarity to Compete at LA 2028

Her disclosure refocuses attention on World Boxing's SRY-based policy, with her eligibility for Los Angeles 2028 still unresolved.

Overview

  • In a new interview, the Paris 2024 champion said she used hormone therapy to reduce her testosterone to zero ahead of the Dakar qualifying event and Olympic competition.
  • She confirmed carrying the SRY gene, rejected claims that she is transgender, and said she has always lived as a woman.
  • Khelif said she has sent medical records and hormone test results to World Boxing and is willing to undergo required checks, including genetic testing, but has not received a response.
  • World Boxing introduced an SRY test after her case; she refused it in 2025, was barred from the Liverpool World Championships, and lost her appeal, while IOC rules for Paris 2024 did not mandate universal testing and permitted testosterone-lowering treatment.
  • Reporting notes that a positive SRY result does not inherently confer athletic advantage, with conditions such as androgen insensitivity syndrome potentially limiting the body’s response to androgens.