After more than two years away from the ring, Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif is preparing to launch her professional boxing career this December in Paris, France. The 27-year-old Algerian will face 21-year-old Clarida Sarabian.
“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 announcement comes at a pivotal moment for Khelif, who captured welterweight gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics but has not competed since World Boxing introduced new gender testing requirements in 2025. Her extended absence from competition reflects the complex challenges she has faced following eligibility controversies that emerged during her Olympic triumph.
Khelif’s coach Kamel Abdesselam expressed confidence in his athlete’s prospects, suggesting she could challenge for a world title within three to five professional bouts. It’s an ambitious timeline that reflects both Khelif’s proven abilities and the team’s eagerness to move forward after a prolonged period of uncertainty.
The Paris Olympics thrust Khelif into an international spotlight that extended far beyond sports. The International Boxing Association claimed she had failed a gender eligibility test in 2023, sparking debate and scrutiny. According to reports, Khelif has naturally elevated testosterone levels for which she takes treatment, and available information indicates she possesses the SRY gene associated with male chromosomes. However, the reporting makes clear that Khelif was born female and that claims suggesting she is transgender are factually incorrect.
The controversy reached the highest levels of political discourse. Donald Trump, who signed an executive order last year titled Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports, referenced Khelif in public remarks, characterizing her as a male boxer during a January speech to Republican lawmakers. Trump’s statements have been noted as inaccurate by multiple sources.
Khelif has responded to these characterizations with firmness and dignity. Speaking to French sports publication L’Équipe, she said: “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. I was raised as a girl, I grew up as a girl, people in my village have always known me as a girl.”
Her words reveal the personal toll of becoming a symbol in a broader cultural debate. “Days became weeks, weeks became months. I waited, doubted. But deep inside, the fire never died,” Khelif reflected. “Because this dispute was never only mine. It was for everyone who dared to be, for everyone who refused to give up.”
The situation gained additional complexity when Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting, who faced similar eligibility questions during the same Olympics and won featherweight gold, was cleared to return to World Boxing events earlier this year after undergoing sex testing. Her clearance has prompted questions about the nature and fairness of the controversies that surrounded both athletes.
Khelif has challenged World Boxing’s testing requirements at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, though a hearing has yet to take place. She maintains hopes of competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where the International Olympic Committee has mandated sex testing for participation in the women’s category.
In a February interview with CNN, Khelif addressed the testing issue directly. “Of course, I would accept doing anything I’m required to do to participate in competitions,” she said. “They should protect women, but they need to pay attention that while protecting women, they shouldn’t hurt other women.”
