Algeria's Imane Khelif described her win at the Paris Olympics as having "a special taste" after securing boxing gold on Friday, amidst two weeks of controversy over her eligibility due to a gender dispute that has overshadowed the Games. Khelif, who defeated China's Yang Liu to win the welterweight title, along with Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, found themselves at the center of a media storm and intense social media debates. Both athletes were initially disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA) from the 2023 World Championships, citing a sex chromosome test as the reason for their ineligibility. However, they were able to compete in the Olympics after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) removed the IBA's governing status in 2023 and took over the organization of boxing in Paris. The IOC adopted eligibility rules used in the 2016 and 2021 Olympics, which do not include gender testing.
"I am a woman like any other," Khelif declared at a press conference following her victory, having also filed a legal complaint in France against online harassment. "I was born a woman and have lived as a woman, but there are those who cannot accept my success, which adds a special flavor to my victory." The IOC dismissed the IBA's tests on Khelif and Lin as arbitrary and invalid, stating there was no justification for conducting them. Khelif, who won silver at the 2022 World Championships, expressed her confusion over the IBA's actions.
"The things being said about me on social media are unethical. I aim to change perceptions worldwide," Khelif continued. "Since 2018, I have competed under the IBA's authority, and they know everything about me. I do not recognize this IBA. Some members seem to dislike me, though I don't know why. Today, I made it clear that my honor is paramount." Khelif made history as the first Algerian woman to win an Olympic boxing gold, and the first Algerian boxer to do so since Hocine Soltani in 1996. The 25-year-old received overwhelming support from the crowd, with many Algerian women attending her matches at Roland Garros and the North Paris Arena to show their backing.
"The Algerian woman is renowned for her bravery," Khelif noted. "The presence of these women at the stadium conveyed a message to the world that our honor is everything."
