After backlash, Boston Globe apologizes for headline error about Algerian boxer

The Boston Globe is apologizing for misidentifying Algerian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif as transgender in a story that ran late last week, a mistake that sparked an outcry on social media.

“A significant error was made in a headline on a story in Friday’s print sports section about Algerian boxer Imane Khelif incorrectly describing her as transgender,” the note, which was published on Aug. 3, read. “She is not. Additionally, our initial correction of this error neglected to note that she was born female.

“We recognize the magnitude of this mistake and have corrected it in the epaper, the electronic version of the printed Globe,” the note continued. “This editing lapse is regrettable and unacceptable and we apologize to Khelif, to Associated Press writer Greg Beacham, and to you, our readers.”

Dan Kennedy, a professor of journalism at Northeastern University and the author of the Media Nation blog, called the paper’s error “a really bad mistake.”

“That said, the editor’s note was certainly a full and complete apology for what had gone wrong, and I’m glad they did it,” he added.

The erroneous headline originally appeared atop an Associated Press story by Beacham. In the article, Beacham recapped the short boxing bout and described the “divisive issue” of gender eligibility tests, but at no point did he use the word “transgender.” In response to the public outcry, Beacham said that news organizations are allowed to write their own headlines for Associated Press stories.

The Globe’s initial correction identified Khelif as a woman and attributed the incorrect headline to an editor’s error. The paper later issued its editor’s note with additional explanation.

Khelif’s participation in the Olympic women’s boxing competition became the subject of international controversy after her opening fight, in which Khelif’s opponent, Angela Carini of Italy, quit after less than a minute. Khelif was subsequently cited by a wide range of culturally conservative figures, including author J.K. Rowling and former U.S. President Donald Trump, as an example of a man inappropriately competing in a women’s sporting contest.

In response, an International Olympic Committee spokesperson said Friday that Khelif “was born female, was registered female, lived her life as a female, boxed as a female, has a female passport,” according to the Associated Press.

The controversy over Kehlif’s presence in the games was exacerbated by the fact that the International Boxing Association, a deeply controversial organization that has been banned by the International Olympic Committee, determined last year that Khelif and another women’s boxer competing in Paris, Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, were ineligible to compete in the 2023 world championships after they “failed to meet eligibility rules … following a test conducted by an independent laboratory.”

IBA President Umar Kremlev told Russian state media that the two were disqualified for having XY chromosomes, a difference in sex development that affects some women.

Kae Petrin, the president and executive director of the Trans Journalists Association, notes that that organization has created a resource guide for journalists covering Khelif’s story, and struck a sympathetic note when asked about the Globe’s initial error and subsequent response.

“Frankly, the situation with Khelif is really complicated because there is all of the conflicting information between the IBA and the IOC,” Petrin said. “When we wrote our response, we had to bring in two additional sportswriters and editors to look over it because there are so many details that are so complicated. Even as trans people, we weren’t like, ‘We know what’s going on here immediately.’”

Even if the IBA’s claims about Khelif having XY chromosomes are true, Petrin added, labeling Khelif as either transgender or intersex would be incorrect, since both those terms reflect an individual’s self-identification.

Khelif told the Associated Press “the IBA that wronged me [and] treated me unfairly, but I have God on my side.” She also expressed gratitude for the Olympic Committee’s response.

A spokesperson for GLAAD, which has also created an online media guide to covering the Khelif story, praised the Globe’s correction in a statement to GBH News.

“The Boston Globe’s thoughtful correction to their coverage of Olympian Imane Khelif is an important reminder to all of us that integrity in journalism is about full transparency and truth, even when that means acknowledging inaccuracies and missteps along the way,” the spokesperson wrote.

“Americans rely on our country’s free press to educate ourselves about current events and envision the future we want for ourselves and our loved ones,” they added. “Errors in reporting can have serious consequences on our ability to build understanding and empathy. We live in a time of serious misinformation … Responsible reporting means taking the time and diligence to ensure high-quality work that captures the full context with fair and accurate representation and journalism.”

The Boston Globe referred a GBH News reporter to the editor’s note when asked for comment.