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Imani Khelif, Algeria’s first female boxing gold medalist, has been plagued by global discussions about her gender throughout the Paris Olympics, but she’s enjoying the sweet feeling of using her platform to support women’s sports
PARIS, France — Algeria’s Imani Khelif said on Friday, August 9, that winning the Paris Olympics “had a special taste” after winning boxing gold, following two weeks of speculation about her eligibility amid gender controversy at the Games.
The fight between Khalif, who defeated China’s Liu Yang to win the welterweight title, and Taiwan’s Lin Yuting has been dominating media headlines and has become a hot topic on social media platforms.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified both men from the 2023 world championships because sex chromosome tests ruled that neither was eligible.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped the IBA of its status as boxing’s governing body in 2023 and took over the organization of the Paris boxing tournament, after which they will compete in Olympic boxing.
For this Olympics, the IOC will adopt the boxing qualification rules from the 2016 and 2021 Olympics, which did not include gender testing.
“I am just like any other woman,” Khalif said at a news conference after winning the gold medal.
“I was born a woman and have lived as a woman, but success also has enemies who cannot digest my success. This also gives my success a special taste.”
The International Olympic Committee rejected the results of the tests conducted by FIBA on Khalif and Lin as arbitrary and illegal, and said there was no reason to conduct such tests.
Khalif, the 2022 World Championships silver medallist, said she did not understand the IBF’s actions.
“All the comments about me on social media are unethical. I want to change people’s minds around the world,” Khalif added.
“I have been competing under the IBA since 2018 and they know everything about me. I do not recognize this IBA. Some members hate me and I don’t know why.”
“I have a message for them today: my honor comes before all else.”
Khelif is the first Algerian woman to win an Olympic boxing gold medal and the first Algerian boxer to do so since Hocine Soltani at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
The 25-year-old received strong support from the crowd during her tournament, with scores of Algerian fans, many of them women, flocking to Roland Garros and the Arena Nord to cheer her on.
“This Algerian woman is known for her courage,” Khelif said.
“These women came to the stadium to send a message to the world: Our honor is above all else.” – Rappler.com
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