A Hungarian boxer is under fire after sharing a controversial picture on her Instagram stories ahead of her bout with Algeria’s Imane Khelif.
Khelif, who was disqualified from the International Boxing Association’s World Championships last year due to an unspecified gender eligibility test failure, recently garnered attention following her match with Italy’s Angela Carini.
The bout between Khelif and Carini lasted only 46 seconds before Carini decided to end the match, saying: “I went into the ring to fight. I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much and so I said enough.”
Following the incident, Khelif’s next opponent, Anna Luca Hamori, expressed her views and discussed her preparation for their upcoming match, stating: “I’m not scared. I don’t care about the press story and social media.
“If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win.”
After making these comments, Hamori began sharing the support she received from fans on her Instagram stories.
One particular post has caused significant controversy.
This morning, the boxer reposted an image on her Instagram Stories depicting a woman preparing to fight a satanic-looking bull in a boxing ring.
Fans quickly pointed out the offensive nature of the image and who the bull was likely representing.
Twitter users rapidly called out the post, with one describing it as ‘so vile and disgusting.’
Another user commented that ‘[Imane] needs to sue.’
There are also calls for Hamori’s disqualification over the post, with some arguing that she is ‘disrespecting the Olympic honor/idea.’
One tweet read: ‘This is literally harassment and bullying wtf she should face consequences for this.’
Hamori has since removed the post from her Instagram Stories, but screenshots continue to circulate online.
Regarding Khelif, the International Olympic Committee issued a statement on Thursday supporting her eligibility to compete.
“Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination,” the statement read.
“All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU).”
The IOC had rescinded its recognition of the IBA as a global governing body in 2023. According to Reuters, the boxing association called it a ‘tremendous error.’
This decision followed numerous issues, including problems related to finance, governance, and ethics.