Paris Olympics 2024: Algerian boxer Imane Khelif progresses through to women’s welterweight final
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who is at the centre of a gender controversy storm, has ensured the most divisive story of the Paris Olympics will rage on by winning her way through to a gold medal bout.
The 25-year-old was banned from competing by the International Boxing Association last year after gender tests reportedly revealed she had male XY chromosomes but the International Olympic Committee has allowed her to compete in the female division due to her passport listing her gender as female.
Another boxer banned by the IBA over gender eligibility, Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei, will be looking to punch her ticket to the final in the women’s featherweight divison on day 12.
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In front of raucous Algerian support, Khelif comfortably accounted for Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand in their women’s welterweight semi-final on day 11, setting up a final against China’s Yang Liu.
The win is the latest in a series of dominant performances for Khelif, who will come into the final as the hot favourite.
The storm over Khelif’s eligibility reached new heights when Italy’s Angela Carini opted to abandon their round of 16 bout only 46 seconds in, saying she had “never been hit so hard in my life”.
The IBA called a press conference in Paris over the controversy earlier this week, with president Umar Kremlev saying the decision to allow the pair to compete was “destroying the sport.”
But an IOC statement earlier in the games criticised the IBA’s process over the decision, saying the pair were the victim of a “sudden and arbitrary decision” and had been denied due process.
