Carried by a public all won over to her cause, the Algerian Imane Khelif flew over her fight against the Thai boxer Suwannapheng Jan Jaem to qualify for the final of the Olympic tournament. An act of nice revenge while the Algerian has been locked since her first fight in a controversy over her so-called “lack of femininity”.
The criticism slides over her and does not seem to affect her. Driven by unwavering determination, Algerian Imane Khelif took another step towards the gold medal in the Olympic boxing tournament, -66 kg category. She was able to count on the support of her fans, who came out in droves to support their boxer.
The criticism slides over her and does not seem to affect her. Driven by unwavering determination, Algerian Imane Khelif took another step towards the gold medal in the Olympic boxing tournament, -66 kg category. She was able to count on the support of her fans, who came out in droves to support their boxer.
To view this content X (Twitter), it is necessary to authorize audience measurement and advertising cookies.
Change of scenery for boxing
After Novak Djokovic’s historic victory in tennis, the Roland-Garros center court was transformed into a different kind of arena to offer boxing a showcase worthy of it. Straight punches replaced forehands, hooks replaced backhands and the uppercut now has the impact of a smash. But victory still belongs to “the most stubborn.”
The first four fights served as an appetizer: neither the “USA! USA!” to support Omari Jones, nor the “Mexico! Marco!” that took Marco-Alonso Alvarez to the final could match what happened when Imane Khelif entered the ring.
The Algerian supporters, who came in large numbers and with great reinforcement of flags, gave their all to support their warriors. The green tide made its voice heard even before the boxer was announced by the announcer. Arriving boxing in the void, she was greeted by a thunder of “Imane! Imane!
In the ring, she made short work of her opponent, easily winning all three rounds, carried by her determination and the warmth of the crowd. Thailand’s Suwannapheng Jan Jaem seemed powerless to find solutions in the face of the Algerian’s fury.
The Algerian boxer quickly greeted the crowd before quickly returning to the locker room. With their heroine gone, the Algerian supporters continued to chant the famous “One! Two! Three! Viva l’Algérie!”
“The criticism goes over my head. I’m here to win and enjoy the gift that I have,” she said after the fight.
Victim of the IOC-IBA war
For her second Olympic Games, the Algerian is going through an ordeal in Paris. She found herself embroiled in a controversy that is beyond her control after her victory in the round of 16 of the tournament due to the withdrawal of the Italian Angela Carini.
The sweeping victory sparked a backlash from conservatives, led by Donald Trump and Italian President Georgie Meloni, who said the fight was “not on a level playing field.”
Imane Khelif, like Taiwanese Lin Yu-ting, was admitted at the last minute to the Paris Olympics by the International Olympic Committee, which is contesting their suspension by the IBA, the international amateur boxing federation, following gender tests carried out at the 2022 World Championships in Istanbul and 2023 in New Delhi.
“We are talking about women’s boxing. We have two boxers who were born women, who were raised as women, who are designated as women on their passports, and who have fought for years as women and this is a clear definition of a woman,” IOC President Thomas Bach reiterated on Saturday.
The day before the fight, the IBA held a press conference to reaffirm that Imane Khelif and her Taiwanese companion in misfortune were “men”. A war of positions that finds its roots in the acrimonious relationship between the IOC and the IBA.
“A fight for my dignity”
However, in the middle of this war, there are two women. Since the beginning of the controversy, Imane Khelif has tried to stand up for herself. After winning her quarter-final, she greeted the public, who supported her in a beautiful unanimity, before heading to her corner in tears.
Tonight, no tears. She came out straight and proud. She made a short stop in front of the journalists, very numerous, to say a few words in Arabic to thank all those who supported her: “Thank you to Algeria, to the Arab world, and to all those who supported me.”
Facing her opponent in the final, the Chinese Yang Liu, she will have the opportunity to offer Algeria a second gold medal in its Olympic Games and thus equal the Atlanta record.
