Imane Khelif enters Olympic boxing arena amid gender controversy

Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, is set to compete at the Paris Olympics amidst a storm of misconceptions and online abuse regarding her gender identity. Khelif will face Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary in the women’s 66-kilogram quarterfinals, where a win would secure Algeria’s seventh Olympic boxing medal and the nation’s first ever in women’s boxing.

Khelif’s opening bout victory was marred by false claims about her gender, fueling a larger debate on identity in sports. Despite the controversy, IOC President Thomas Bach defended Khelif and fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, who were disqualified by the International Boxing Association last year for alleged failed eligibility tests.

The IBA, banned from Olympic participation in 2019, disqualified Khelif for elevated testosterone levels without providing detailed information on the tests, citing confidentiality. Bach emphasized that both Khelif and Lin are women by birth, upbringing, and documentation, calling for a scientific-based discussion on gender identity.

Khelif, aiming for a bronze after missing out on a medal in the Tokyo Games, is supported by the crowds at the North Paris Arena amidst the social media scrutiny and hate speech. The Paris Olympics boxing tournament features the fewest boxers since 1956, with a gender-balanced participation for the first time, following the debut of women’s boxing in the Olympics 12 years ago.