Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has had a tumultuous few days after being subject to a barrage of accusations on social media over her gender.
Days after her controversial 46-second match against Italian boxer Angela Carini, Khelif burst into tears after learning she will walk out of the Paris 2024 Olympics with at least a bronze medal following her latest 5-0 victory on Saturday against Hungary’s Luca Hamori in the women’s 66kg quarter-final—a win which will see her advance to the semi-finals.
She was pictured sobbing as she left the arena.
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At a post-match press conference, Khelif told reporters “I have been boxing for years in the International Boxing Association which has committed an injustice toward me,” qualifying, “But I have Allah by my side.”
Khelif made headlines this week after social media users falsely accused the boxer of being transgender and questioned her eligibility to participate. (The Boston Globe was forced to apologize Saturday after erroneously describing Khelif as trans in a headline printed in their Friday sports section; the mistake was “regretful and unacceptable,” the paper said.) The criticism came after Carini withdrew from their fight in under a minute, having received two blows to her face.
“I have never been hit so hard in my life,” a tearful Carini told reporters after the match.
The Algerian fighter, who identifies and competes as a woman, has XY chromosomes in her DNA. She was disqualified from the International Boxing Association’s 2023 women’s world championships having failed a gender eligibility test in the past. The validity of the test is being questioned by organizers of the Olympics.
On Saturday, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach defended Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting, who has also faced accusations that she is ineligible to participate.
“Let’s be very clear here: We are talking about women’s boxing,” Bach said, the Associated Press reported. “We have two boxers who are born as a woman, who have been raised a woman, who have a passport as a woman, and who have competed for many years as women. And this is the clear definition of a woman. There was never any doubt about them being a woman.”
Khelif will compete in the semi-finals against Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng next week.
“OFF TO THE NEXT ROUND! An incredible win by Imane Khelif to shut up all the haters. We keep moving,” the Algeria national football team said on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday, after Khelif’s win.
“It has been absolutely incredible to see the support for Imane Khelif pouring in from all over the world these past few days!… Love will always trump over hate.”
