The case of Imane Khelif: Why was it disqualified?

The Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has been disqualified from the 2025 Women’s Boxing World Championship after a DNA test that confirmed that she has XY chromosomes. According to reports, the test was promoted by billionaire Elon Musk, who questioned his eligibility in the women’s category.

The International Boxing Association (IBA) ruled that Khelif, who has competed in female boxing for years, can no longer participate in the Women’s Division due to the supposed biological advantage that his genetics grants him.

Controversy and debate about sport equity

The decision has revived the debate on justice in women’s sport, biological differences and the role of public figures in the influence on sports policies.

The controversy exploded when Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and Spacex, used its X (previous Twitter) platform to question Khelif in female boxing. Arguing the need to protect fair competition in women’s sports, Musk urged the DNA test.

After Musk’s statement, it was carried out by an official review, which concluded with the confirmation that Khelif has XY chromosomes. As a result, it was immediately disqualified, with the organization arguing that its genetic composition gives it a unfair advantage over other competitors.

Imane Khelif reaction: “They have erased my career in an instant”

The Algerian boxer received the news with shock and devastation. In statements to Algerian media, he denied having acted improperly and expressed his deep pain before the resolution.

🗣️ “I have always identified as a woman. I have trained, competed and won as a woman. This decision is unfair and I feel that they have erased all my career in a single instant”, Khelif declared.

His legal team is exploring options to challenge disqualification, qualifying it as “direct attack on her identity and rights as a athlete.”

International reactions: divided opinions

The decision of the IBA has caused a whirlwind of reactions worldwide.

🔹 LGBTQ+ Rights Groups and Women’s Rights Organizations have condemned disqualification, accusing it to give in to external pressures and violate Khelif’s rights.

📢 “This feels a dangerous precedent, where billionaires such as Elon Musk can press sports organizations to make decisions based on ideology and not science”, declared a spokesman for a European human rights group.

🔹 Athletes and sports officials, on the other hand, have applauded the decision, arguing that it protects the integrity of female sports.

🥊 Classa Shields, Boxing Exampeone, defended disqualification:
“Equity is important. We train our whole life to compete on equal terms. This decision protects that”.

What will be the future of Imane Khelif in boxing?

While the debate continues, Khelif’s future in boxing is still uncertain. I was not indicated if you can compete in another category, leaving your sports career in a limbo.

On the other hand, Elon Musk’s participation in the controversy continues to generate heated discussions about the role of billionaires in world sports governance.

With the World Boxing World Championship 2025 on the horizon, this decision could have a lasting impact on the future of female sport and in the gender debate in the sports competition.