Olympic gold has ‘special taste’ for boxer Imane Khelif after gender dispute
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A joyful Algerian boxer Imane Khelif after beating China's Yang Liu in the women's 66kg final at the Paris Olympic Games on Aug 9.
PHOTO: AFP
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PARIS – Victory at the Paris Olympics has “a special taste”, said Algeria’s Imane Khelif after winning boxing gold on Aug 9, following two weeks of speculation over her eligibility amid a gender dispute that has engulfed the Games.
Khelif, who beat China’s Yang Liu to claim the welterweight (66kg) title, and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-ting were caught up in a storm that has dominated headlines and been the subject of heated debate on social media platforms.
Both were disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA) from the 2023 world championships, which said a sex chromosome test had ruled both of them ineligible.
They are competing in the Olympics after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped the IBA of its status as the sport’s governing body in 2023 and took control of organising the boxing in Paris.
At these Games, the IOC is using boxing eligibility rules that were applied at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, which do not include gender testing.
“I am a woman like any woman,” Khelif told a news conference after her gold medal at Roland Garros.
“I was born a woman and I have lived as a woman but there are enemies to success and they can’t digest my success. That also gives my success a special taste.”
The IOC rejected the results of the IBA-ordered tests on Khelif and Lin as arbitrary and illegitimate, saying there was no reason to conduct them.
Khelif, a silver medallist at the 2022 world championships, said she did not understand the IBA's actions.
“All that is being said about me on social media is immoral. I want to change the minds of people around the world,” Khelif added.
“From 2018, I competed under the authority of the IBA and they know everything about me. I don’t recognise this IBA. Some of the members hate me and I don’t know why. I sent them a message today that my honour is above everything.”
Khelif is the first Algerian woman to win an Olympic boxing title, as well as the first Algerian boxer to win gold since Hocine Soltani at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
The 25-year-old has had immense support from the crowds at her fights, with Algerian fans, many of whom are women, flocking to Roland Garros and the North Paris Arena to cheer her on.
“The Algerian woman is known for her courage,” Khelif said. “The coming of these women to the stadium sent a message to the world that our honour is above everything.”
Meanwhile, Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev and Lazizbek Mullojonov also won gold on Aug 9 as Uzbekistan took the lead in the boxing medal tally in Paris.
Muydinkhujaev beat Mexico’s Marco Verde in the men’s welterweight (71kg) boxing final by unanimous decision. American Omari Jones and Lewis Richardson of Britain took bronze after their semi-final defeats.
Mullojonov beat Azerbaijan’s Loren Alfonso in the heavyweight (92kg) to put the Uzbeks on three golds, one more than China. Enmanuel Reyes of Spain and Tajik Davlat Boltaev took home bronzes.
Uzbekistan can add two more gold medals to their tally if Abdumalik Khalokov (featherweight, 57kg) and Bakhodir Jalolov (super heavyweight, over 92kg) win their respective finals on Aug 10. Those bouts took place after press time.
Asked about Uzbekistan’s dominant showing in Paris, Muydinkhujaev said: “We support each other. We respect each other. We are not just a team, we are a family. That is why we are so successful.”
“We respect our coaches, they are like our fathers. My teammates still have to compete in their finals. I wish them well and hope we take five gold medals back to Uzbekistan,” he added. REUTERS
