Imane Khelif, one of the two boxers at the center of a gender dispute at the Paris Olympics, pledged on Tuesday to move past the controversy and make Algeria and the Arab world proud. Khelif executed a perfect performance against Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng, securing a spot in the final of the welterweight tournament in front of enthusiastic Algerian supporters at the repurposed Court Philippe Chatrier. Upon being declared the winner, the crowd, adorned with Algerian flags and scarves, erupted in a deafening cheer.
"I don't want to discuss the controversy," Khelif told reporters. Khelif, who won a silver medal at the 2022 world championships, along with Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting, has been a focal point at the Paris Games due to a storm that has captured headlines and sparked extensive debate on social media. Both Khelif and Lin were disqualified from the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi by the International Boxing Association, which announced in a chaotic press conference on Monday that a sex chromosome test had deemed them ineligible.
Khelif and Lin are participating in the Olympics after the International Olympic Committee revoked the IBA's status as the governing body of boxing in 2023 and assumed control of organizing the boxing events in Paris. The IOC has dismissed the IBA-ordered tests as arbitrary and illegitimate, stating there was no justification for conducting them. At these Games, the IOC is adhering to boxing eligibility rules that were in place at the 2016 and 2021 Olympics, which do not include gender testing.
For Khelif, it was all about boxing on Tuesday. "Everyone, the crowd was full of fans and all Algerians and the Arab world must be proud. I hope I can also make them proud in my final match," said Khelif. "All that matters is for me to be at my best level. I know I'm a great athlete, I just hope people enjoyed watching my match." The fans who came to support Khelif were visibly thrilled.
"I am so happy for her - I bought my tickets at 2am yesterday to come support her, I came alone and now I’m going to look for tickets for the finals," said Imane Touti, a 25-year-old marketing professional. "She has won no matter what. We are behind her whether she wins or loses (the final)." Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed his gratitude on X: "Thank you, Imane, for making all Algerians happy, with this strong and wonderful qualification for the final. The most important thing has been achieved, and God willing will be crowned with Gold. All Algerians are with you."
