The boxer at the center of a gender controversy at the 2024 Paris Olympics has advanced to the final of the Women’s 66kg boxing welterweight division.
Algerian Imane Khelif, who did not pass an unspecified IBA gender test last year but has been supported by the Olympic committee, has guaranteed herself at least a silver medal and will aim for gold against her opponent Yang Liu of China on Friday (August 9).
Yesterday (August 6), Khelif won her semi-final match against Thai boxer Janjaem Suwannapheng with a unanimous decision.
Now, Khelif has spoken to the media, offering a strong statement to address her critics.
She said: “I don’t care what anyone is saying about me with the controversy. All that is important to me is that I stay on the level and give my people the performance they deserve. I know I’m a talented person and this is a gift to all Algerians.”
Her name resonated throughout Phillippe-Chatrier Court at Roland Garros, with many Algerian flags waving in support.
Khelif’s latest triumph comes after the 25-year-old, who was born and raised as a girl, was disqualified from the 2023 World Championships for failing an unspecified gender eligibility test.
Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting, competing under Chinese Taipei, were both disqualified.
IBA president Umar Kremlev, a close associate of Vladimir Putin, stated that the test “proved” they had XY chromosomes.
However, it is notable that the IBA lost its Olympic credentials five years ago.
The Olympic Committee had previously issued a statement reaffirming Khelif’s eligibility to compete, emphasizing that “every person has the right to practise sport without discrimination.”
Despite global scrutiny, both athletes secured themselves medals at this summer’s Olympics, which are being held in Paris for the first time in a century.
While the gender controversy was always a background issue, it intensified after Khelif defeated Italy’s Angela Carini in just 46 seconds, with Carini conceding the match.
Following this, Khelif’s father has also spoken out about the controversy surrounding his daughter’s Olympic participation.
In an interview with French TV station BFMTV, Omar Khelif displayed his daughter’s birth certificate to affirm that she was born a girl.
