Imane Khelif wins Olympic quarter-final bout following controversy over failed gender eligibility test
Imane Khelif has won her latest bout at the Olympics this afternoon (3 August).
She faced Anna Luca Hamori in the women's 66kg quarter-final. This comes after controversy following her victory earlier this week when she faced Italy's Angela Carini in the round-of-16.
The Italian ended up abandoning the match after 46 seconds.
Khelif is one of two boxers in this year's Olympics who was disqualified from the 2023 Women's World Boxing Championships for not being able to meet their gender eligibility criteria.
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The International Boxing Association had suggested she had elevated levels of testosterone and couldn't compete in its events.
However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) defended her inclusion in the games and said it was 'saddened' by the abuse she has been facing.
Khelif was born and raised as a woman and has never publicly identified as a man, transgender, intersex or non-binary.
Today's fight was surrounded in further controversy as fans called for her opponent to be disqualified over 'disgusting' messages on Instagram.
Hamori represented Hungary as she faced Khelif today but a series of posts she shared beforehand were deemed as 'vile'.
She seemingly shared derogatory comments about the Algerian to her Instagram story with one image in particular causing backlash. It showed a slim, 'feminine' woman facing off with a muscly, beast-like 'masculine' figure with devil horns.
With the accusations being thrown around regarding Khelif's gender, fans speculated Hamori was suggesting her opponent is a beast.
And many agreed on social media: "Luca Hamori's hateful posts about Imane Khelif go against the Athletes' Declaration. This needs to be addressed to maintain sportsmanship and respect."
Khelif had the absolute support of Algeria fans in the north Paris Arena as they cheered her on throughout the fight. While she did face a points deduction for a hit to the back of Hamori's head, the Algerian showed great power throughout the bout.
Following the controversial fight earlier this week, the IOC issued a statement on Khelif’s inclusion in the games as it reaffirmed 'every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination'.
“All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit,” it added.
LADbible approached Hamori and the IOC for comment.
Topics: Boxing, Olympics, Sport, Imane Khelif
Jess Battison