No Ban for Imane Khelif: WBO Debunks Viral Gender Claims

A Facebook post alleging Imane Khelif was banned for life, stripped of her medals, and lost $25 million in prize money due to gender issues is entirely false, as confirmed by the World Boxing Organization (WBO). The post, attributed to Hawaiian pro surfer Koa Smith, has gone viral with over 80,000 interactions since it was published on March 14. However, the WBO has reiterated that Khelif is female and, as such, has not been subjected to any ban. This is not the first time Khelif has faced baseless gender-related accusations. The controversy around her began in 2023 when the International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified her from a tournament, citing the result of a test it didn’t publish. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has defended her, dismissing gender-based claims as misleading.

Source: DW