Boxer Iman Khelif: "I am not transgender, I am a girl"

Algerian boxer Iman Khelif, whose gold medal at the Paris Olympics sparked a global controversy fueled by Donald Trump and Elon Musk, has stated that she is not transgender and that her natural differences are a product of nature. "My difference is natural. I have done nothing to change how nature made me," Khelif said in an interview with the sports newspaper L'Equipe. The athlete revealed that she has lowered her testosterone levels to compete, having reduced it to zero for the qualifying tournament in Dakar, where she won the gold medal. "I don't look at social media; I realized it was a space where people could attack you without knowing you, and that is dangerous," she reflected. Khelif stated she is not afraid of undergoing medical tests and will do whatever is necessary for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. "I am a girl, and I am working for you to come and give me a medal on the podium in Los Angeles," she added. When asked what she would say to Donald Trump if he were in front of her, the boxer responded: "Mr. President, I am a girl, a young Arab and Muslim, a boxer. I respect you if you respect the truth." Khelif emphasized that the controversy "hurt her deeply" as it affected her family, but she is not afraid of the consequences and is ready for any tests.