Imane Khelif issues defiant statement after guaranteeing Olympic silver or gold
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has spoken out after guaranteeing herself either a silver or gold medal after getting to the final of the women's 66kg competition.
It comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding her and fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting, with them both banned from fighting against women in 2023 after reportedly failing unspecified eligibility tests.
Khelif faced Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng in the semi final of the Paris Games, which she won easily by unanimous decision.
Advert
It was the latest in a recent run of dominating performances, with a unanimous win against Hungary's Luca Hamori in the previous round. Italy's Angela Carini also retired in the round of 16 after just 46 seconds.
Aged 25, Khelif has caused headlines in the 2024 Paris Olympics. It comes after she was allowed to compete in the women's game despite the International Boxing Association (IBA) banning her last year.
The IBA claimed she had the male XY chromosome, despite never releasing tests that evidence this. The same situation has been applied to Taiwanese boxer, Linn Yu-ting.
But the IBA ban hasn't covered the Olympics after the body was stripped of its recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) relating to concerns over governance and finance issues.
In a strongly worded statement, the IOC said that both women have been competing in boxing for years without issue before the 2023 test.
After winning her semi final bout against Suwannapheng, Khelif said she 'didn't care' what people were saying about her.
Speaking to the media, she said: “I don't care what anyone is saying about me with the controversy.
"All that is important to me is that I stay on the level and give my people the performance they deserve.
"I know I'm a talented person and this is a gift to all Algerians."
Residents of Biban Mesbah, the Algerian village where Khelif was born and raised, cheered on as she made her way into the gold medal match.
The situation has seen Khelif's father forced to show her birth certificate, showing she was registered as a female.
He told Sky News: "My child is a girl. She was raised as a girl. She's a strong girl. I raised her to be hard-working and brave. She has a strong will to work and to train.
"The Italian opponent she faced was unable to defeat my daughter because my daughter was stronger and she was softer."
Khelif will fight China's Yang Liu in the gold medal bout, which takes place on Friday night (9 August).
Topics: Imane Khelif, Boxing, Olympics, Sport, Viral, World News
Tom Earnshaw