As pressure mounts over an impending sex-testing match, Imane Khelif, the Algerian Olympic boxing champion who captivated the world at Paris 2024, has just stunned everyone with her most recent makeover.
It’s no ordinary gorgeous moment. In a picture that went viral, Khelif was seen with podcaster and TV host Nassima Djaffar Bey. Far from the perspiration and punches of the ring, the 26-year-old boxer displayed a dramatic feminine makeover with flowing hair, full makeup, and a confident smile. Fans have been enthralled with the picture ever since Djaffar Bey posted it to Instagram with the statement, “Always a pleasure.”
However, there is turmoil at the gates beneath the glitz and glamour. Due to World Boxing’s required sex-testing policy, Khelif is no longer able to compete. This new law essentially requires confirmation of XX chromosomes via a cheek swab or similar test, requiring all participants to submit to a one-time PCR genetic screening to identify eligibility in male or female categories.
Khelif is immediately impacted by the regulation, which goes into effect prior to the Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands. She was not allowed to return to the ring and did not participate in the tournament since she had not finished the exam. Following harsh criticism during and after the Paris Games, when Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan were permitted to compete by the International Olympic Committee in defiance of previous bans by the International Boxing Association, the regulation was implemented. After both boxers won gold, the topic of equity in women’s sports made headlines.
When a leaked 2023 medical certificate claimed that Khelif possessed an XY chromosomal pair—a characteristic usually associated with men—in June, the issue intensified even more. Reports of the claim, which were based on the document, led to calls from certain quarters to have her Olympic gold medal revoked. The IOC has clarified that her triumph is still valid, claiming that eligibility was determined in accordance with its rules, which acknowledged Khelif as a woman based on her passport and legal status.
Due to the numerous genre tests, boxer Algrienne Imane Khelif ARR TE SA CARRI RE is currently required to compete in several tournaments.
To participate in the Box Cup of Eindhoven, she must pass a genre exam by May 2025, according to avantpic.twitter.com/v6WpVvrC6U.
August 20, 2025, Bastion (@BastionMediaFR)
Additionally, World Boxing has had to deal with the consequences. When the organization first implemented the sex-testing policy, it specifically named Khelif and then apologized. Officials acknowledged that it was improper to draw attention to specific athletes in such a delicate situation, and they pledged that the policy will be implemented equitably and with due procedure moving forward.
However, the incident has exacerbated the conflict between World Boxing and the IBA, which is not recognized as the sport’s governing organization for the upcoming Olympics and has previously been suspended by the IOC due to governance concerns.
For her part, Khelif has decided to let her social media speak for itself. She shared a lengthy reflection on her experience on social media on the first anniversary of her Olympic victory. She talked about the proud emotions she shed when the Algerian flag was flown and characterized her current situation as a trying time that is full of obstacles, silence, and waiting.
ALERTE INFORMATION: Imane Khelif, the boxeuse, has lost more fights since she was killed by the JO de Paris. It is a halt in the journey. Your opinion, why?www.twitter.com/7tVgJTdSSe photo
Wolf August 20, 2025 (@PsyGuy007)
She stated that she is still dedicated to boxing and her nation in spite of the uncertainties, stating, Victory is only one aspect of true strength; another is tenacity in the face of adversity. Imane Khelif is me; I was a champion yesterday, I’m strong now, and I’m going to be back tomorrow.
Since her heyday in Paris, the Algerian boxer has not been back in the ring. Given that her career is now threatened by the rigorous testing regimen, her absence from the Eindhoven Box Cup further increased conjecture about when or if she will return.
