![\"Claressa](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0_Mirror-Split-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nEXCLUSIVE: 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<\/p>\n
18:09 ET, 16 Feb 2026Updated 18:10 ET, 16 Feb 2026<\/p>\n
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Claressa Shields shared her thoughts on Imane Khelif’s eligibility for the 2028 Summer Olympics(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
During the 2024 Summer Olympics, Khelif<\/a> claimed gold with a commanding win over China’s Yang Liu in the women’s welterweight division final. Her victory at the Paris Games<\/a> sparked an international media storm<\/a> once it emerged that she had been removed from the 2023 Women’s World Championships for failing a gender eligibility test.<\/p>\n Speaking to the French outlet L\u2019\u00c9quipe<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Canada hockey star ejected from Winter Olympics match as NHL-style fight breaks out<\/a>READ MORE: Florida bar finds out nightmare repercussions of hosting Turning Point’s halftime show<\/a><\/p>\n Ahead of Paris 2024, Khelif \u2014 who was assigned female at birth and identifies as such \u2014 underwent treatments to lower her naturally high testosterone levels.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, and it\u2019s natural,\u201d Khelif said when asked if she has the SRY gene. \u201cI have female hormones. And people don\u2019t know it, but I\u2019ve already lowered my testosterone levels for competitions.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m surrounded by doctors, a teacher is following me, and I\u2019ve taken hormonal treatments to lower my testosterone levels.<\/p>\n \u201cFor 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Khelif won an Olympic gold medal by beating Yang Liu in the women’s welterweight division final(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n On the heels of Khelif\u2019s latest comments, Shields conceded that she would not be weighing in on the 26-year-old\u2019s eligibility for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. \u201cI 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,\u201d Shields told Mirror U.S. Sports.<\/p>\n \u201cI 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI know sometimes it’s a gray area in between there, but \u2026 I don’t know her full situation. So I don’t want to judge it.\u201d<\/p>\n That being said, Shields is still rooting for Khelif in her blossoming boxing career. \u201cBut I do wish her the best,\u201d added the \u2018GWOAT,\u2019 who is slated to face off against Franch\u00f3n Crews-Dezurn for the Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship on Feb. 22.<\/p>\n Khelif’s victory at the Paris Olympics drew a strong wave of reactions(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Carini subsequently revealed that Khelif’s strikes were among the most powerful she’d ever experienced.<\/p>\n Last September, Khelif opted not to participate in boxing\u2019s World Championships once World Boxing rolled out mandatory sex testing aimed to ensure a \u201cfair and level playing field.\u201d 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).<\/p>\n READ MORE: Eddie Hearn hits out at Dana White’s ego after world title decision<\/a>READ MORE: Eddie Hearn suggests Dana White’s ego is ‘out of control’ after boxing move<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Imane](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0_GettyImages-2166095080.jpg\")
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