Algerian Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif is pushing back against the International Boxing Association (IBA) after the organization filed a legal complaint over her participation in the Paris Olympics. Khelif, who won gold amid a gender-eligibility dispute, called the accusations “false and offensive,” as the IBA escalated its battle with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The IBA announced Monday that it had lodged a complaint with Swiss Attorney General Stefan Blatter against the IOC, citing safety concerns over gender eligibility. The organization stated it would file similar complaints in France and the United States.
The complaint specifically named Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, arguing that their participation denied opportunities to “deserving female athletes.” The IBA referenced former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent executive order banning transgender women from female sports as validation of its stance. Trump previously referred to Khelif as “a male boxer” in a speech following the order’s signing.
Khelif, who has always competed as a woman, was previously ruled ineligible for the 2023 world championships after a sex chromosome test conducted by the IBA. However, after the IBA lost its Olympic recognition over governance issues, the IOC took control of Olympic boxing and cleared Khelif to compete in Paris, affirming she was born female and had a longstanding record in women’s competitions.
“The IBA, an organization I am no longer affiliated with and which is no longer recognized by the IOC, continues to make baseless accusations that are both false and offensive,” Khelif said in a statement. “This is not just about me but about the broader principles of fairness and due process in sport.”
She added that her team is considering legal action to protect her rights. “For two years, I have remained silent while my name and image were used without permission to advance political and personal agendas through misinformation. But silence is no longer an option.”
The IBA, in its statement, welcomed Khelif’s intention to pursue legal action, asserting that it would provide an opportunity to prove she should not have been allowed to compete in women’s boxing.
The IOC, which has been in a long-running dispute with the IBA, dismissed the organization’s claims as part of its ongoing campaign against the Olympic governing body.
With boxing’s future at the Olympics in question, the sport has not been included in the initial program for the Los Angeles 2028 Games. The IOC has urged national boxing federations to establish a new global governing body or risk Olympic exclusion.
