“Shame On All The People” – Martina Navratilova Condemns Olympic Gold Medalist Imane Khelif’s Boxing Comeback In Paris

Martina Navratilova, a prominent tennis legend, expressed her disapproval of Imane Khelif's planned return to boxing, stating in a tweet that "Shame on all the people, mostly men, for enabling this travesty. It's a total joke." Khelif, who won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, will be making her professional boxing debut against Clarida Sarabia.

Navratilova criticized Khelif's participation, primarily due to her disqualification from the 2023 World Championships by the IBA but competing under IOC rules. Khelif, who identifies as a woman, was born female and has always competed as a woman. Following her Olympic victory, Khelif expressed her stance on the matter, stating that her success was fueled by the attacks she faced.

The Algerian boxer has previously voiced her reluctance to comply with World Boxing's new mandatory genetic testing requirement, which she believes should be overseen by the IOC. As a result, Khelif's participation in the 2028 LA Olympics remains uncertain. Navratilova further supported World Boxing's eligibility rules, criticizing the exclusion of Khelif from competing in the women's category at the Eindhoven Box Cup in June 2025.

Khelif has since challenged this decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but was denied her request.