Tennis legend Martina Navratilova reacted to the news of Imane Khelif returning to the boxing ring on Dec. 15 in Paris. Khelif will be making her professional debut against Clarida Sarabia. The super welterweight bout will mark Khelif’s first time in the ring since winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
On Monday, Navratilova, an outspoken personality in the debate over transgender participation in women’s sports, took a shot at Khelif’s anticipated boxing return.
“Shame on all the people, mostly men, for enabling this travesty. It’s a total joke,” Navratilova wrote.
Navratilova’s issue is with Khelif’s participation after the boxer was disqualified from the 2023 World Championships by the IBA but competed under IOC rules.
It’s important to note that Khelif has always identified as a woman and was reportedly female at birth. After winning her Olympic gold in Paris, Khelif said:
“I was born a woman, I’ve lived as a woman and I’ve competed as a woman. There’s no doubt that there are enemies of success, and that gives my success a special taste because of these attacks.”
The Algerian boxer has previously reacted to World Boxing’s newly introduced mandatory genetic testing for competitors. Khelif is willing to comply only if the testing is administered by the IOC, per Reuters. This leaves her participation in the 2028 LA Olympics in doubt.
Martina Navratilova Reacted After Imane Khelif Was Barred From Eindhoven Box Cup
In May 2025, World Boxing introduced mandatory genetic sex screening for all athletes wishing to compete in its event.
The body informed the Algerian Boxing Federation that Khelif could not compete in the women’s category at the Eindhoven Box Cup, scheduled for June that year, if she did not undergo testing. Khelif subsequently missed the tournament registration deadline.
Navratilova expressed support for the new eligibility rules while making a pointed remark about Khelif’s exclusion. According to Spanish outlet MARCA, Navratilova said the decision would prevent Khelif from “hitting more women in a ring.”
In September 2025, Khelif challenged World Boxing’s eligibility decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). She also requested the court to allow her participation in World Boxing events before a judgment could be made on her appeal. That request was denied, though.
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