Imane Khelif suffers major setback as statement issued by boxing chief

Imane Khelif's professional boxing debut has been postponed after the fighter sustained a muscle tear close to the shoulder blade.

The Algerian Olympic champion was scheduled to face German fighter Julia Igel at the Salle Wagram venue in Paris on 23 April, but the entire event has now been suspended.

No replacement date has been confirmed for the card, which was set to showcase several professional contests.

The withdrawal comes just a fortnight before Khelif was due to step into the ring for a first elite-level bout, marking another setback for the Paris 2024 gold medallist who remains embroiled in ongoing gender eligibility disputes.

Khelif's coach John Dovi, who previously led the French Olympic boxing squad at Rio 2016, revealed the severity of the problem.

"Last Friday, Imane felt severe pain in her arm. In fact, there had been discomfort for some time. On Saturday, Khelif was unable to lift her arm," he explained.

Medical examinations revealed a small tear in Khelif's back near the shoulder blade area.

Despite Khelif's determination to proceed with the fight, promoter Brahim Asloum decided against taking unnecessary risks.

"The health and physical integrity of our athletes remain our top priority. We wish Imane Khelif a speedy recovery," Asloum stated on Monday.

LATEST SPORTS NEWS:

• LIV Golf chief provides major update on future of controversial tour as Saudis ponder pulling funding
• Declan Rice triggers furious backlash after Arsenal battle into Champions League semi-finals
• Jude Bellingham and other Real Madrid players have complete meltdown after Bayern Munich defeat

Dovi confirmed that physiotherapy and rest are required, with hopes of resuming training within 10 days.

Khelif has been at the heart of fierce debate over gender eligibility since competing in the women's boxing tournament at the Paris Olympics.

The International Boxing Association barred the fighter from the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi, yet she went on to claim the -66kg title at the Games after receiving clearance from the International Olympic Committee, which had stripped the IBA of recognition over governance concerns.

The 2024 champion has not competed since August 2025, when World Boxing introduced mandatory sex testing requirements.

The governing body gained Olympic recognition in February last year, fundamentally altering the competitive landscape for athletes facing eligibility questions.

The suspended card was also due to feature significant title contests, including a World Boxing Association interim lightweight championship bout between Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist Estelle Mossely and Argentina's Karen Elizabeth Carabajal, alongside a WBA Gold super-welterweight clash pitting Marine Beauchamp against Spain's Patricia Martín Cabrera.

This marks the latest in a series of cancelled appearances for Khelif, who previously withdrew from a planned event in Eindhoven in June 2025 and pulled out of the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool last September.

The Algerian has consistently expressed an ambition to defend her Olympic crown at Los Angeles 2028.