The Olympic gold medallist and Algerian boxer, Imane Khelif, has found herself at the center of renewed scrutiny as the report, obtained by French journalist Djaffar Ait Aoudia, revealed that Khelif has been diagnosed with 5-alpha reductase deficiency, a disorder of sexual development typically found in genetic males.
The medical documentation, reportedly drafted in June 2023 in collaboration between Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital in Paris and Mohamed Lamine Debaghine Hospital in Algiers, includes an MRI result indicating that Khelif lacks a uterus and possesses internal testicles alongside a condition described as a “micropenis,” which resembles an enlarged clitoris.
In addition to the MRI findings, the report states that Khelif underwent a chromosomal test confirming that she has an XY karyotype, along with hormone testing that showed testosterone levels typical of males.
Aoudia also noted that the report suggested possible consanguinity among Khelif’s parents.
Doctors involved in the examination recommended that Khelif receive further evaluation, including “surgical correction and hormone therapy,” along with psychological support.
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5-alpha reductase deficiency is a condition that affects sexual development of people, who are born genetically male, before birth and during puberty.
Many people with 5-alpha reductase deficiency are assigned female at birth based on their external genitalia, which may be deformed so as to not look clearly male or clearly female.
