Following her successful and celebrated Olympic gold medal win in boxing at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Imane Khelif is now eager to defend her gold at the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. Despite her successful performance in 2024, Khelif faced brutal social media trolling and was even blocked from participating in the 2025 World Championships in Eindhoven or any other boxing event.
Khelif, 26, has now vowed to comply with the International Olympic Committee’s gender testing. World Boxing introduced mandatory testing in 2025 and will also be overseeing the event during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Born a woman and always identified as such, Khelif was banned from boxing until she underwent gender testing. Appealing the decision and willing to come back, Khelif opened up to CNN.
“Of course, I would accept doing anything I'm required to do to participate in competitions. They should protect women, but they need to pay attention that while protecting women, they shouldn't hurt other women,” she said.
“I'm not transgender. I'm a woman. I want to live my life. Please do not exploit me in your political agendas,” Khelif made these statements as a response to US President Donald Trump misgendering her in Jan. 2026 at a Republican retreat.
Donald Trump's controversial comments on boxer Imane Khelif
At the Jan. 2026 Republican retreat, Trump caused massive outrage with his comments on Imane Khelif's gender. Misgendering her, Trump called her a “gentleman,” which also caused severe online criticism.
Before Khelif's recent comments on not being transgender, she had also previously responded to Trump (quotes translated from French). “I respect everyone, and I respect Trump because he's the president of the United States. Trump cannot distort the truth. I'm not trans, I'm a girl.”
Banned from international competition, Khelif now looks forward to complying with the gender testing and successfully defending her gold medal in Los Angeles.
