Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer [Photo: Mohd Rasfan/AFP]
Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer, clinched the gold medal in the Olympic women’s welterweight division, just a year after being disqualified from the World Championships due to a gender eligibility test.
Khelif’s victory in Paris was marked by a unanimous decision win over the Chinese world champion, Yang Liu, in a bout that has been overshadowed by ongoing controversy.
The 25-year-old Algerian fighter received overwhelming support from her fans, who filled the arena waving their green, white, and red flags. Khelif dominated the fight, confidently dancing and celebrating even before the final bell rang, certain of her victory. After the match, she shared a warm embrace with Yang Liu.
“It is my dream. I am very happy,” Khelif told the BBC. “It is fantastic. Amazing. Eight years of work, no sleep. I want to thank all of the people in Algeria. I am very happy for my performance. I am a strong woman.”
The victory came amid controversy. Khelif had been disqualified from last year’s World Championships due to a ruling by the International Boxing Association (IBA), which claimed she did not meet the eligibility criteria for competing in women’s boxing. Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting, who was also banned under the same ruling, will compete in her final on Saturday. Despite the IBA’s decision, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed both athletes to compete in the Olympics, asserting that Khelif and Lin were “born and raised as women.”
IOC President Thomas Bach acknowledged the ongoing debate, stating, “We do not like the uncertainty,” but admitted that there isn’t a “scientifically solid system” to clearly “identify men and women.”
Khelif’s journey to the gold medal was marked by both triumph and controversy. In her opening bout against Italy’s Angela Carini, Carini abandoned the fight after just 46 seconds, citing concerns for her safety. Carini later apologized for her reaction but stated that she had been advised not to “fight a man.” Hungarian boxer Anna Luca Hamori, who faced Khelif in the quarter-finals, also expressed doubts, saying, “I don’t think it is fair,” although she wished Khelif good luck after the match.
The controversy extended to Lin Yu-ting’s matches, where two of her opponents made ‘X’ gestures—intended to symbolize female chromosomes—after their defeats. Bulgarian boxer Svetlana Kamenova Staneva, who opposed Lin, voiced her discontent, stating it was “not good for boxing.”
Despite the swirling controversy, Khelif’s performance in the ring was nothing short of exceptional. She was carried around the arena on the shoulders of her coach, surrounded by jubilant supporters. Her victory was celebrated by all three of her fellow medallists, and she was visibly moved as the Algerian national anthem played.