EXCLUSIVE: Two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields provided her two cents on Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s eligibility for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles
18:09 ET, 16 Feb 2026Updated 18:10 ET, 16 Feb 2026
Claressa Shields shared her thoughts on Imane Khelif’s eligibility for the 2028 Summer Olympics(Image: Getty Images)
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields is steering clear of the ongoing debate surrounding Imane Khelif after the Algerian boxer recently provided more details regarding her biological makeup.
During the 2024 Summer Olympics, Khelif claimed gold with a commanding win over China’s Yang Liu in the women’s welterweight division final. Her victory at the Paris Games sparked an international media storm once it emerged that she had been removed from the 2023 Women’s World Championships for failing a gender eligibility test.
Speaking to the French outlet L’Équipe last week, Khelif confirmed that she possesses a female phenotype as well as the SRY gene, which is involved in male-typical sex development and found in the Y chromosome.
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Ahead of Paris 2024, Khelif — who was assigned female at birth and identifies as such — underwent treatments to lower her naturally high testosterone levels.
“Yes, and it’s natural,” Khelif said when asked if she has the SRY gene. “I have female hormones. And people don’t know it, but I’ve already lowered my testosterone levels for competitions.
“I’m surrounded by doctors, a teacher is following me, and I’ve taken hormonal treatments to lower my testosterone levels.
“For the qualifying tournament at the Paris Games, which was held in Dakar, I lowered my testosterone level to zero. And I won the gold medal there.”
Khelif won an Olympic gold medal by beating Yang Liu in the women’s welterweight division final(Image: Getty Images)
On the heels of Khelif’s latest comments, Shields conceded that she would not be weighing in on the 26-year-old’s eligibility for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. “I don’t know the facts about that. I don’t know. I know she won an Olympic gold medal and then they said that she wasn’t a she and that she had two body parts,” Shields told Mirror U.S. Sports.
“I don’t really want to speak on something that I don’t have clear information about. I just know that men should fight against men. Women should fight against women. That’s all I know.
“I know sometimes it’s a gray area in between there, but … I don’t know her full situation. So I don’t want to judge it.”
That being said, Shields is still rooting for Khelif in her blossoming boxing career. “But I do wish her the best,” added the ‘GWOAT,’ who is slated to face off against Franchón Crews-Dezurn for the Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship on Feb. 22.
Khelif’s victory at the Paris Olympics drew a strong wave of reactions(Image: Getty Images)
“I don’t know if she’s ever going to turn pro, or whatever the case may be. But hey, congrats on your gold medal. And hopefully, all the right information gets put out there about her situation, because I don’t know the right information. One minute it was this, next minute it was that. You don’t really know.”
Khelif initially sparked controversy with her contentious victory against Angela Carini during a round-of-16 bout at the Olympics. Upon absorbing multiple blows from her opponent, the Italian withdrew from the fight after merely 46 seconds, furiously declaring “this is unjust” whilst breaking down in tears.
Carini subsequently revealed that Khelif’s strikes were among the most powerful she’d ever experienced.
Last September, Khelif opted not to participate in boxing’s World Championships once World Boxing rolled out mandatory sex testing aimed to ensure a “fair and level playing field.” The Olympic gold medalist confirmed that she would undergo testing in order to compete in the LA28 Games, so long as they are conducted by the International Olympics Committee (IOC).
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“Of course, I would accept doing anything I’m required to do to participate in competitions,” Khelif told CNN. “They should protect women, but they need to pay attention that while protecting women, they shouldn’t hurt other women.”
Despite facing no shortage of backlash over the last two years, Khelif asserted that she’s never considered hanging up the boxing gloves. “I’m not transgender. I’m a woman,” Khelif declared. “I want to live my life. Please do not exploit me in your political agendas.
“What happened during the Olympics caused me psychological trauma, for me, and for my family. But I am still here. I am still fighting. I am still boxing.”