A leaked medical report of controversial Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif has brought an old issue to the forefront again. The 25-year-old Algerian boxer is now under heavy scrutiny after the leak of a medical report questioning her eligibility for female competition. The report, accessed by a French journalist has indicated that Khelif has internal testicles and an XY chromosome makeup – which signals a genetic condition known as 5-alpha reductase deficiency.
According to experts, this rare genetic disorder impacts sexual development, often resulting in ambiguous genitalia and limiting secondary male characteristics. What is the 5-alpha reductase deficiency? Studies say those who have the condition are born genetically male but have trouble producing a crucial hormone called dihydrotestosterone or DHT - which is essential for the development of male sex characteristics, especially those visible on the outside of the body. Individuals with this condition are genetically male, having one X and one Y chromosome, as well as male reproductive organs called testes.
Khelif’s report, allegedly prepared collaboratively by medical professionals from Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital in Paris and Mohamed Lamine Debaghine Hospital in Algiers in June 2023, has the boxer’s anatomy, including the absence of a uterus and the presence of what was described as a micropenis. It also recommended surgical correction and hormone therapy, aimed at aligning Khelif’s physical traits with her self.