In a stunning and polarizing press conference at the White House today, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sent shockwaves through the international sports community by launching a fiery tirade against what she called the “growing epidemic of biological deception” in women’s athletics. At the center of her criticism? Algerian Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif, who won the women’s 66kg boxing title at the 2024 Paris Olympics—and is now being publicly scrutinized by the U.S. government.

Leavitt didn’t hold back, demanding “immediate and comprehensive gender verification protocols” for athletes competing in international women’s sports, and calling Khelif’s Olympic victory “a symptom of a much larger betrayal against women.”

“This isn’t about one athlete,” Leavitt insisted. “This is about a system that’s been hijacked. It’s about fairness. It’s about protecting women from being erased—physically, biologically, institutionally. Imane Khelif may be the face today, but the problem goes far deeper.”

Though Khelif has been recognized as female by both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Algerian authorities, Leavitt accused the IOC of “gross negligence” and hinted at what she called a “deliberate cover-up” to silence critics who questioned the legitimacy of her eligibility.

“The IOC doesn’t get to decide what’s real,” she said. “Science does. And when science is ignored to appease political agendas, women lose. Period.”

Leavitt’s remarks come amid a firestorm of debate over Khelif’s participation in the Paris Olympics, where her win was briefly clouded by the International Boxing Association’s now-reversed decision to disqualify her. Although no official evidence has been made public to suggest any rule-breaking by Khelif, Leavitt’s language was unambiguous and alarming.

She described the situation as “a coordinated assault on truth,” suggesting unnamed international bodies—including “officials in Canada and certain IOC partners in Asia”—were actively working to “blur the biological line in sports” for political gain.

But perhaps the most jaw-dropping moment came when Leavitt was asked whether the U.S. government would consider sanctions or policy changes to prevent athletes like Khelif from competing on U.S. soil.

“We are exploring every option,” she said with a piercing stare. “If sporting bodies continue to ignore the integrity of biological categories, the United States will be forced to act unilaterally. That includes visa scrutiny, athletic bans, and possibly—yes—international pressure campaigns.”

Her words sent a clear message: the U.S. might be preparing to use its global clout not just diplomatically, but in the realm of international sport.

Athletes’ rights groups immediately condemned the press secretary’s remarks as inflammatory and dangerous. Amnesty Sport, a global watchdog for athletic equity, issued a statement calling Leavitt’s speech “the most blatant attempt yet to politicize gender identity in sport for nationalist purposes.”

“Karoline Leavitt’s attack on Imane Khelif isn’t about fairness. It’s about power,” the statement read. “This rhetoric is textbook scapegoating—vilifying one woman to wage war on a global movement for inclusion.”

Social media erupted within minutes of the press conference. On X (formerly Twitter), hashtags like #ProtectImane and #TransWitchHunt trended alongside more vitriolic takes from conservative influencers applauding Leavitt’s “bravery.”

Fox Nation’s Tucker Carlson praised the move live on-air: “Finally, someone in this administration—scratch that, this government—has the guts to say what millions of Americans are thinking.”

Still, Leavitt’s stance is not without precedent. In recent months, several states have passed laws barring transgender women from competing in female sports categories, citing concerns over competitive balance. What makes Leavitt’s declaration different is its scale—and the clear willingness to turn it into a foreign policy matter.

Leavitt concluded her presser with a chilling promise: “This is just the beginning. We will expose every lie. We will restore every truth. Women’s sports are not a free-for-all—they are sacred, and they will be defended.”

As the dust settles, one thing is clear—Karoline Leavitt has drawn a line in the sand, and Imane Khelif, whether she wanted to be or not, has been thrust into the center of an escalating international firestorm.

Whether this marks the start of long-overdue reform or the beginning of a modern-day witch hunt is a question the world will now be forced to answer.