The Algerian boxer fighting in the women’s game has broken her silence after her Italian counterpart abandoned their fight.
Imane Khelif has become somewhat the talk of the Paris 2024 Olympics after the International Boxing Association (IBA) issued a statement in which it explained the 25-year-old was disqualified from its World Championships last year.
Imane Khelif is now guaranteed a medal. (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Khelif and fellow Olympian Lin Yu-ting, a Taiwanese boxer fighting under ‘Chinese Taipei’, were disqualified due to the presence of an XY chromosome in their bodies.
However, it is worth noting that the IBA, which is a Russian-dominated sports organization, was completely stripped of its Olympic credentials five years ago.
That was during the time Gafur Rakhimov, of Uzbekistan, was in charge – someone who the US Treasury Department described as an organized crime boss – although the businessman refutes those claims.
In the face of worldwide scrutiny, both athletes guaranteed themselves a medal after reaching the semi-final of the summer Olympics, which is being held in France for the first time in 100 years.
Angela Carini bowed out of the match against Imane Khelif after just 46 seconds. (Fabio Bozzani/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Khelif, who last year appealed IBA’s decision before withdrawing that appeal later on, has now broken her silence after beating Hungarian boxer Luca Anna Hamori in the quarter-finals – two days after Angela Carini, of Italy, quit her fight against the Algerian just 46 seconds in.
Speaking in Arabic to SNTV on August 4, she said: “I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects.
“It can destroy people, it can kill people’s thoughts, spirit and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying.”
Khelif added: “I am in contact with my family two days a week. I hope that they weren’t affected deeply.
“They are worried about me. God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal, and that would be the best response.”
Even Khelif’s father has spoken out about his daughter and has shared proof that she was born a girl.
Lin Yu-ting has also made the semi-finals. (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Omar Khelif stated in an interview with 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.”
He continued: “The Italian opponent she faced was unable to defeat my daughter because my daughter was stronger and she was softer.”
Khelif faces Janjaem Suwannapheng, of Thailand, in the semi-final tomorrow (August 6), while Yu-ting, who did not appeal the IBA’s decision, will compete against Turkey’s Esra Yildiz Kahraman.
If the two athletes better their opponents they will face off in the women’s 66kg weight class boxing final on Friday (August 9).
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