Imane Khelif has won gold in the Olympics welterweight final, following an ongoing gender row.
The Algerian boxer, 25, has claimed victory in Paris, after beating Chinese world champion Yang Liu by unanimous decision.
Boxer Imane Khelif has won gold in the Olympics welterweight final. (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
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Over the last few weeks, Khelif has been criticised on social media following her first round bout against Italian Angela Carini, who walked out of the ring after just 46 seconds.
After the fight on 1 August, Carini said she had ‘never been hit so hard in my life’, and made the decision to step out of the ring for her health.
The Algerian boxer had failed an unspecified ‘gender test’ at the 2023 World Championships, amid claims from the International Boxing Association (IBA) that she was not able to meet their unspecified eligibility criteria.
The tests were run by the IBA, who are not affiliated with the Olympics, so the boxer was allowed to compete at the games, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) later releasing a lengthy statement defending their decision.
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The Algerian Olympic Committee also moved to defend their athlete, while Carini said that she ‘wanted to apologise’ to Khelif following the controversy after her refusal to shake her hand.
Khelif has never identified as male, transgender, or intersex.
Khelif has been at the centre of a gender row. (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
After claiming her gold medal on Friday (9 August) evening, Khelif was carried around the arena on the shoulders of her trainer, who she embraced after the decision was announced.
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Khelif won all three rounds, with the judges naming her the winner by unanimous decision.
Speaking on Friday (9 August), president of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach said: “This system is working and so therefore our decision is clear.
“Women should be allowed to take part in women’s competitions and the two are women.”
Khelif beat China’s Yang Liu. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
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Earlier this week, Khelif also gave her first interview since the controversy. The Olympic boxer said she wanted people to ‘refrain from bullying all athletes’ amid backlash online.
In an sit-down chat with SNTV on Sunday (4 August), she said in Arabic: “I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects.
“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.
“I am in contact with my family two days a week. I hope that they weren’t affected deeply.
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“They are worried about me. God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal, and that would be the best response.”
Featured Image Credit: Maja Hitij/Getty Richard Pelham/Getty
Topics: Boxing, News, Olympics, Sport, Imane Khelif
