"The Real Knockout: Debunking the Misconceptions Around Imane Khelif’s ‘Unfair’ Fight"

Alright, so this has been a topic of discussion for well over a week now. I watched this story explode from the very beginning and I was blown away by the lack of research done, and the major news networks pushing the wrong information. I have been so angry for this woman! As my husband would say, "I'm on a mission to civilize" now...

Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, was the center of news conversations because she apparently failed a "gender eligibility test". First of all, what is a gender eligibility test? It would appear that that information remains confidential, but the International Boxing Association (IBA) have a specific test that, while recognized by the IBA, the International Olympics Committee (IOC) does not, which is why her and the other athlete that failed said test in 2023 were still able to compete in the Paris Olympics.

This "gender eligibility test" revealed that the boxer has XY chromosomes and higher testosterone levels than the typical definitions for a female. Que controversy.

Fast forward to August 1st, where Imane Khelif is in the ring with Angela Carini, representing Italy. The fight starts off and after a few thrown punches, Carini stops the fight. The fighters go to the center of the ring and Khelif has her hand raised and Carini drops to her knees. Before hands were raised, Carini says, "it isn't fair." What exactly isn't fair? Thats where the information drops about Khelif failing the "gender eligibility test" that sparked the "He'S a MaN" ridiculousness.

So, it’s now August 2nd, and I come across a post that a friend on Facebook shared. With a link to a story, the caption says, " Female Boxer QUITS Olympic bout against biologically male opponent after brutal 46 seconds,” and I think to myself, “there is no way this happened in the Olympics,” so I open the article and it is full of misinformation. Gotta get those clicks and views. SMFH. So, I do something that is OUTRAGEOUS and foreign to the people today, and I put in the extra work in search of the truth. The information I found was not hard to find and didn’t take but maybe 30 seconds of my time.

Imane Khelif is not a man. She has XY chromosomes and extra testosterone for a woman, but that isn’t because she is a man, which is the only “news” being pushed out. She identifies as a woman and has her whole life. Not to mention, in Algeria, the country she represents, transgender identity is prohibited, meaning that you cannot receive treatment to transition to another sex (in case you are wondering, that means hormonal treatment too).

So why does she have these characteristics of a man, but isn’t one? It’s a medical condition called differences of sex development, or DSD. DSD are congenital conditions that affect the reproductive system in which development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex is atypical, (Differences of Sex Development (DSD) | Causes, Diagnosis & Care (cincinnatichildrens.org)). This link will explain in detail all the different things that DSD can affect.

So, now that we know this information and that Imane Khelif is a woman, what made that fight “unfair” to Angela Carini? Fairness in women’s sports is obviously a hot topic lately and I completely agree that men competing against women in sports is outrageous! Where do we draw the line, though? In my opinion, Imane Khelif is a badass, strong, female fighter that was born with some genetic advantages for her sport. Angela Carini gave up because her opponent was stronger than her. That is the moral of this story.

If we want to go a little deeper, let’s talk about the fact that Michael Phelps also had some “genetic” advantages. That man holds records that may never be broken because of his genetic advantages. So, do we fault him for what he was born with? No. We sure don’t. Both of these athletes possess unique biological traits that give them the edge in their sports. The Olympics are supposed to represent the best of the best from each country. Imane Khelif is just that. The best in her country, and if the best in another country can’t beat them, then they deserve to stay the best.

If we don’t start taking the time to do the research for ourselves and rely on “Fox News” or “CNN” to give us all the answers, we will FOREVER be uninformed. Idiocracy, here we come.