Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is on the brink of concluding her eventful Paris Olympics with a shot at a gold medal, which she views as the perfect response to the online abuse she has faced due to misunderstandings about her gender. Khelif is set to face off against Yang Liu of China in the women’s welterweight division final at Roland Garros on Friday night. Throughout her matches in Paris, Khelif has not lost a single round, showcasing the most dominant performance of her boxing career amidst intense scrutiny.
The controversy surrounding Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Li Yu-ting originated from their disqualification by the International Boxing Association (IBA) at last year’s world championships, alleging they failed an unclear eligibility test for women’s competition. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) permanently barred the IBA from the Olympics due to governance issues and transparency concerns. The IOC criticized the flawed sex tests imposed on the two boxers by the boxing governing body.
Recent events, including a disorderly news conference by the IBA leadership, have only fueled doubts about the credibility of the tests. However, the IOC has stood by the boxers, reiterating their right to compete in Paris and denouncing the criticism as “hate speech.” Despite international backlash and misinformation, both Khelif and Li remain steadfast in their pursuit of victory.
Khelif, who has already secured Algeria’s first Olympic medal in women’s boxing, aims to become her country’s second boxing gold medalist. She has garnered immense support in Paris, particularly from Algerian fans who have embraced her as a local hero. Khelif emphasized the negative impact of the scrutiny she has faced, advocating for an end to athlete bullying and asserting that a gold medal would be the ultimate rebuttal to the backlash she has endured.
The culmination of Khelif’s journey through the Olympics comes down to her gold medal fight against Yang, the reigning world champion and second seed in their weight class. Khelif and Li are poised to make history for their respective countries and challenge the misconceptions and challenges they have faced in and out of the ring throughout their Olympic campaign.
