The Algerian boxer was the victim of a controversy over her gender at the start of the Paris Games. Her revenge and her victory are all the more striking.
PARIS 2024 JO – Her revenge is golden. Algerian boxer Imane Khelif became Olympic champion in the -66 kg category on the evening of Friday, August 9, in a highly charged Roland-Garros stadium that was totally committed to her cause. The 25-year-old boxer beat Chinese Yang Liu, the reigning world champion, in the final. Imane Khelif brings Algeria its second title of the Paris Olympics after Kaylia Nemour’s gold in gymnastics.
Three years after her presence at the Tokyo Games, where her participation had not caused any controversy, Imane Khelif found herself in spite of herself at the center of a controversy over her gender during the Paris 2024 Games, against the backdrop of a dispute between the IOC and the International Boxing Federation. She was called a transgender man, or woman, and the victim of a large disinformation campaign on social networks. All this while she is a hyperandrogenic woman. You can see the summary of this controversy in our video below:
A delirious crowd
The controversy seemed to be far behind Imane Khelif as she entered the famous Philippe-Chatrier court, which is used to tennis matches. The boxer was cheered with a resounding din, while her opponent Yang Liu was booed by part of the crowd.
Shouts of “Imane, Imane” then punctuated the three rounds of the fight, during which the Algerian appeared more relaxed and sharp. When the judges announced the verdict, the boxer jumped for joy before saluting her opponent and being carried in triumph by her trainer into a jubilant arena, as you can see below.
During the Olympics, the attacks against Imane Khelif did not prevent her from becoming a heroine for her country’s fans. “All these controversies give her the strength to move forward ,” explained her coach Mohamed Chaoua before the final. The proof was there.
