By Luke Power, Sports Reporter
Published: 10:03 EST, 6 November 2026 | Updated: 14:25 EST, 6 November 2026
Olympic gold medalist and central figure in one of modern sports’ most contentious debates, Imane Khelif, is set to make her professional boxing debut in December, with her sights firmly set on capturing a world championship title. The Algerian fighter will step into the ring against 21-year-old women’s boxer Clarida Sarabia in Paris—the very city where she was thrust into a global firestorm of controversy over her gender eligibility at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Khelif, who won the welterweight gold medal in Paris, has not fought competitively since her triumph at those Games. Her return to the capital marks a significant milestone following more than two years away from competitive boxing, a period defined by intense public scrutiny, administrative battles, and personal perseverance.
Khelif possesses a naturally high level of testosterone, though she has taken medication to reduce it. Her eligibility became a flashpoint during the 2024 Olympics after she failed a gender eligibility test administered by the International Boxing Association (IBA) in 2023. The IBA’s intervention sparked a fierce international debate that polarized athletes, governing bodies, politicians, and fans alike.
Reflecting on her prolonged absence from the sport, Khelif expressed her eagerness to return to the squared circle. "It’s been over two years since I last boxed, and I’ve really missed being in the ring," Khelif said. "The last couple of years have been quite difficult. The time has come to turn professional, and I’m going to give it my all."
The 27-year-old fighter opened up about the psychological toll of the past two years, detailing the patience and resilience required to sustain her athletic ambitions through a period of profound uncertainty. "Days became weeks, weeks became months. I waited, doubted. But deep inside, the fire never died. Behind closed doors, I kept fighting," she reflected. "Because this fight was never only mine. It was for everyone who dared to be, for everyone who refused to give up."
Khelif’s coaching team is already mapping out an aggressive trajectory for her professional career. Her coach, Kamel Abdesselam, indicated that the Algerian star possesses the skill and pedigree to challenge for a major world title within her first three to five professional bouts.
Beyond her immediate transition to the professional ranks, Khelif harbors ambitions of representing her country once again at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. However, securing a spot at the Los Angeles Games will require her to undergo a sex test to compete in the women’s category, following a universal mandate introduced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The landscape of international amateur boxing has shifted significantly since the Paris Games. Fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei, who was similarly swept up in the gender eligibility controversy after claiming the featherweight gold medal in Paris, was cleared earlier this year to return to World Boxing events following a sex test. That development has added further layers of complexity and cast doubt on the ongoing debate surrounding the fairness and consistency of gender testing protocols across different sports organizations.
Khelif herself has not competed since World Boxing introduced mandatory sex tests in 2025. In response to the new regulations, she took her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a legal bid to compete without being subjected to the mandated testing, with a formal hearing still pending.
Despite her legal challenges regarding current amateur regulations, Khelif has maintained that she is willing to comply with testing requirements for future Olympic competition. Speaking to CNN in February, she addressed the delicate balance sports authorities must strike in safeguarding competitive fairness. "Of course, I would accept doing anything I’m required to do to participate in competitions," Khelif said. "They should protect women, but they need to pay attention that while protecting women, they shouldn’t hurt other women."
The controversy surrounding Khelif has frequently transcended the boundaries of sports, drawing commentary from prominent political figures worldwide. Last year, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order entitled "Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports." During public remarks, the U.S. President referred to Khelif as a "male boxer" who had "transitioned" and asserted that she had "stole the women’s gold medal" by competing in the women’s category in Paris. Trump doubled down on these remarks during a speech directed at Republican lawmakers in January.
Trump has previously claimed that Khelif is transgender. Current medical and biographical understanding indicates that this assertion is incorrect. Khelif was born female, though she is widely believed to possess the SRY gene, a genetic marker typically associated with male sex chromosomes, which can influence natural testosterone levels and physiological traits.
Khelif has consistently pushed back against political rhetoric targeting her identity and gender, emphasizing her lifelong experience as a woman. "I respect everyone, and I respect Trump because he’s the president of the United States," Khelif told the French sports publication L’Equipe. "Trump cannot distort the truth. I’m not trans, I’m a girl. I was raised as a girl, I grew up as a girl, people in my village have always known me as a girl."
As Khelif prepares for her December bout in Paris against Clarida Sarabia, the sporting world will be watching closely to see how the Olympic champion adapts to the professional ranks and how governing bodies navigate the complex intersection of biology, policy, and human rights in elite athletics.
