Imane Khelif clinched a gold medal Friday at the Paris Olympics, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
The Algerian boxer won the women’s welterweight division amidst considerable controversy, according to AP. Khelif dominated the final bout against Yang Liu of China with a 5:0 victory.
BREAKING: Algerian boxer Imane Khelif wins gold medal at the Paris Olympics after facing scrutiny over misconceptions about her sex. https://t.co/CNoYsRiRP6
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 9, 2024
“For eight years, this has been my dream, and I’m now the Olympic champion and gold medalist,” Khelif said through an interpreter, AP reported. (RELATED: ‘This Is Unjust!’: Female Olympian Withdraws 46 Seconds Into Forced Fight Against Man)
PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 03: Imane Khelif of Team Algeria celebrates victory against Anna Luca Hamori of Team Hungary after the Women’s 66kg Quarter-final round match on day eight of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at North Paris Arena on August 03, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
This victory comes in the wake of controversy after the International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Li Yu-ting from the world championships in 2023 as a “result of their failure to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women’s competition,” according to a statement from the IBA. The incident has sparked debate on gender standards in sports governance.
In a previous bout during the 2024 Olympics, Khelif’s opponent, Italian boxer Angela Carini, withdrew forty-six seconds into the fight, reportedly declaring, “This is unjust!” Following the incident, many voiced concerns about Khelif’s participation in women’s boxing, including Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who Tweeted a video of her comments to reporters about the ordeal.
