Paris Olympics 2024: Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is at the centre of a major storm at the Paris Olympics, with the pugilist’s participation in the women’s category of 66kg event being questioned.
A new storm has erupted at the Paris Olympics Games 2024 over boxer Imane Khelif’s participation in the quadrennial event as a woman boxer, despite possessing male chromosomes.
It all began when Italian boxer Angela Carini, facing Imane, opted to end the bout after just 46 seconds in an attempt to “preserve her life.”
‘. It isn’t the first time that Imane has been at the centre of such a controversy, having previously been disqualified from competing in the 2023 championships over gender eligibility issues.
Khelif has participated in Olympic competitions before, but a lot has changed since the Tokyo Games.
Who Is Imane Khelif?
Imane Khelif, a 25-year-old Algerian native, currently serves as UNICEF’s ambassador. Even though Khelif’s father wasn’t into “boxing for girls,” she still wanted to set an example for future generations by competing for gold on the biggest platforms.
In the 2018 World Championships, Khelif made her professional boxing debut, placing 17th. She placed 19th in the event’s 2019 edition. After that, Khelif participated in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, losing to Ireland’s Kellie Harrington in the quarterfinals. After Amy Broadhurst defeated Khelif, she was able to secure the second position in the Women’s World Boxing Championships. In the years that followed, she went on to win gold medals in the 2022 African Championships, the Mediterranean Games, and the 2023 Arab Games.
The 2023 World Boxing Championships Controversy:
The gender dispute was initially started by Imane Khelif at the 2023 World Boxing Championships.
Khelif was prohibited from competing in the 2023 World Boxing Championships, which were held in New Delhi, by IBA President Umar Kremlev. “Based on DNA tests, we identified a number of athletes who tried to trick their colleagues into posing as women,” Kremlev stated in his statement. It was established by the test findings that they carry XY chromosomes. These athletes were not allowed to compete.”
Regarding Khelif’s disqualification, the Algerian Olympic Committee adopted a slightly different approach, stating that it was due to “medical reasons.” However, according to Algerian media, Khelif was disqualified due to his elevated testosterone levels (Reuters).
Khelif wasn’t happy with the development and said, “There are some countries that did not want Algeria to win a gold medal. This is a conspiracy and a big conspiracy, and we will not be silent about it.”
IOC On Imane Khelif’s Paris Olympics Qualification:
According to spokesman Mark Adams for the International Olympic Committee, Khelif is competing in the women’s event in the 66kg class because her passport included the word “female.”
“Everyone competing in the women’s category is complying with the competition eligibility rules,” he stated this past week. “They are women in their passports, and it’s stated that this is the case, that they are female.”
Claressa Shields and Ebanie Bridges, two former and current female boxing champions, have publicly criticized the IOC over this decision. Imane Khelif has received backing from the Algerian Olympic Committee (COA), which has denounced the reports that are against her.
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