Algerian Imane Khelif is set to fight China's Yang Liu for Olympic gold on Friday night's 66kg boxing final, but it hasn't been the easiest time for the Algerian athlete after she was targeted online following her 46-second bout with Italy's Angela Carini.
Imane and Angela fought on 1 August, with Angela calling time on the match after 46 seconds, claiming she needed to "protect her life". Footage from the match went viral, with some online commentators claiming that Imane was a transgender woman, and others saying the athlete a "biological male". This stems from the boxer failing the International Boxing Association's (IBA) gender eligibility test in 2023.
IOC and IBA positions
The International Olympics Committee (IOC) has disputed the conclusions reached by the IBA. Mark Adams, a spokesperson for the IOC said: "We have no knowledge of what the tests were. They were cobbled together, as I understand, overnight to change the results [of the world championships]."
Likewise, the BBC reported that they were "unable to determine what the gender tests consist of".
Ahead of the Paris Games, the IOC stopped recognising the IBA and in a later statement said: "Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they [Imane and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting] were suddenly disqualified without any due process. According to the IBA minutes available on their website, this decision was initially taken solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO."
© Aleksandar Djorovic/INPHO/ShutterstockA press conference held by the IBA on 5 August did little to stem the controversy. The Russian-led organisation's spokespeople contradicted themselves, with one saying they performed chromosome tests on the boxers, with the other claiming it was a testosterone test. The IBA also said samples were sent to the laboratories accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), but Wada claimed they only ever test for doping and do not conduct gender tests.
Imane's gender
Despite online claims, Imane is not a transgender woman and is also not intersex. The boxer previously spoken about her father's objections to her pursuing a boxing career as he "did not approve of boxing for girls". It should also be noted that changing gender is currently illegal in Imane's home country of Algeria.
Defending Imane's inclusion, Mark Adams said: "This is not a transgender case. There has been some confusion that somehow it's a man fighting a woman. This is just not the case. On that there is consensus, scientifically this is not a man fighting a woman."
© Richard PelhamImane was in high spirits following her semi-final victory, parading for the Algerian crowd who cheered on their star athlete. "I am focused," the 25-year-old said. "I am here for a good performance and my dream. I will give everything I have for the final."
However, online trolls have still gotten to her, as she confessed on Sunday: "It can destroy people, it can kill people's thoughts, spirit and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying."
Boxing career
Imane had competed in 51 matches, winning on 42 occasions and losing on nine occasions ahead of this year's Olympic Games. Imane previously competed in the Tokyo Olympic Games, where she was defeated in the quarter-finals by Ireland's Kellie Harrington.
© Brendan MoranImane has managed to advance to the finals of the Olympics, beating Hungary's Luca Hamori and Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng with 5-0 decisions. Although Luca initially targeted Imane ahead of their match, there appeared to be no bad blood between the athletes following the match.
Meanwhile Janjaem said ahead of their match: "I had heard about the news regarding her, but I wasn't following it closely. She is a woman, but she is very strong. I tried to use my speed, but my opponent was just too strong."
What happened against Angela?
On 1 August, Imane faced Italy's Angela Carini in the welterweight (66kg) category. Imane landed successive hits on the Italian boxer's face, with the athlete opting to call off the match after just 46 seconds.
Following the match, Angela said: "It could have been the match of a lifetime, but I had to preserve my life as well in that moment." The boxer was also reportedly heard saying: "It's not right," as Imane was declared the winner.
© Blondet Eliot/ABACA/ShutterstockHowever, since the controversy erupted, Angela has come to the defence of Imane. "All this controversy makes me sad," she told Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport. "I'm sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision."
Angela also spoke of her regrets for not shaking hands with Imane following their match, explaining she was caught up in the moment of her "Olympics dream going up in smoke". She added she would "embrace" Imane if they were to cross paths again.
Who else is involved?
Imane isn't the only boxer to face this controversy at the Games, as Taiwan's Lin Yu-Ting has faced a similar situation.
© Richard PelhamLike Imane, Lin was reported to have failed the IBA's gender eligibility tests and was stripped of a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships, before being cleared by the IOC to compete.
Lin is the top seed in the featherweight (57kg) category, and defeated Uzbekistan's Sitora Turdibekova in a clean sweep. Lin has likewise been advancing in the tournament, despite the storm around her.
