Olympic gold medalist and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is facing renewed scrutiny after a report obtained by French journalist Djaffar Ait Aoudia revealed that she has been diagnosed with 5-alpha reductase deficiency—a rare condition affecting sexual development typically found in genetic males.
The report, reportedly prepared in June 2023 in a collaboration between Paris’s Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital and Algiers’s Mohamed Lamine Debaghine Hospital, includes MRI findings indicating that Khelif lacks a uterus, has internal testes, and possesses a condition described as a “micropenis” resembling an enlarged clitoris.
Further tests outlined in the report indicate that Khelif has an XY karyotype and testosterone levels within the male range. Aoudia also highlighted that the report suggested possible consanguinity among Khelif’s parents.
Doctors recommended that Khelif undergo additional assessments, including possible surgical correction, hormone therapy, and psychological support.
What is 5-Alpha Reductase Deficiency?
5-alpha reductase deficiency is a condition that affects sexual development in genetic males, influencing development before birth and during puberty. Many with this condition are assigned female at birth due to atypical genital appearance, which may not clearly resemble male or female characteristics.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
