Khelif's transformation comes during an extended hiatus from boxing. The athlete, who publicly responded to Donald Trump's controversial comments earlier this year, last competed in 2024, winning the Olympic gold in the women's welterweight division, a feat overshadowed by eligibility disputes.

It's been a year since Imane Khelif won the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and the controversy that the win entailed. But more boxing organizations have begun making changes to their competitive policies as a direct response.

Paris Olympics gold medallist Imane Khelif has refuted the rumours of her retirement, but she will not be taking part in the World Boxing Championships 2025, which has made a sex test mandatory for women’s boxers.