What happens when an athlete’s greatest moment becomes a talking point in someone else’s crusade? For Imane Khelif, the answer has been painful. Her Olympic gold medal in Paris 2024 should have been a finish line, years of work finally paying off on the biggest stage. Instead, it turned into a flashpoint.

The achievement got pulled into political speeches, distorted by misinformation, and repeated so often that her identity became part of a debate she never asked to be in.

In a recent interview with CNN, Khelif addressed remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who had referenced her Olympic win while talking about transgender athletes. He claimed, “There were two transitioned people they both won gold medals, the whole thing is ridiculous.”

Khelif didn’t dodge it. She met it head-on as she said in the interview, “It’s really hurtful to hear the president of a country talking about you like this. I want to explain one thing, I have nothing to do with transgender.”

That distinction matters, not just emotionally, but factually. Imane Khelif is biologically female, and there is no supported medical evidence published that states otherwise. Yet her name became shorthand in political speeches about banning transgender women and girls from women’s sports in America.

Why did that happen? Part of it traces back to a controversial moment in 2023, when boxing’s then-ruling body, IBA (International Boxing Association), disqualified Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting over alleged gender eligibility tests. That organization later lost its recognition from the International Olympic Committee over governance concerns. Then, ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, the IOC cleared both fighters to compete. Both went on to win gold. The facts were there, but the noise just got louder.

The Algerian boxer has now found herself navigating more than just opponents in the ring. In 2025, World Boxing, the organization replacing the IBA, announced PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic testing as a requirement for eligibility. Khelif hasn’t taken the test and is currently barred from those events while she appeals the policy to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

That’s why she’s asking for something simple: to be seen as an athlete, not a prop. According to her, “I want to clarify to people, to the President, and to all the politicians who are exploiting my image as if I’m transgender, that I have nothing to do with transgender. I’m just an athlete. My dream is to play sports. Please do not exploit me in your political agendas.”

Her point is simple: turning her journey into a talking point about something she isn’t is more than inaccurate; it reshapes her story without her consent. That frustration doesn’t mean Imane Khelif is dodging rules. In fact, she’s leaning into the one thing athletes understand better than anyone else: the process.

Imane Khelif is ready to accept “anything” to compete in the 2028 Olympics

So what happens if the process changes? Does she walk away from the ring? Not even close. Speaking to CNN, Khelif made it clear she’s willing to meet governing bodies halfway if it means staying eligible for the biggest stage. The Paris 2024 gold medalist said she has “nothing to hide” and that she’d comply with s– testing if the IOC requires it for Los Angeles 2028.

As she put it, “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.”

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In 2025, World Boxing took over provisionally and introduced mandatory genetic testing, even citing Khelif when announcing it, before later apologizing. She has appealed that policy to CAS, but the case is still pending.

So where does that leave her now? Caught between policies that keep changing and politics that keep using her image. But Imane Khelif isn’t asking for special treatment. She’s saying, clearly and repeatedly, that she’s “just an athlete” and that her dream is to compete without being turned into a symbol for someone else’s argument. That’s a small request, but in a loud world, it’s easy to miss.