Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif Triumphs Over Gender Controversy to Win Gold at Paris Olympics
Paris, France – Algerian boxer Imane Khelif overcame a significant gender controversy to clinch the gold medal at the Paris Olympics on Friday, thrilling a packed Roland Garros crowd that cheered her to victory.
Khelif secured a unanimous points decision against China’s Yang Liu in the women’s 66kg final. Her victory was celebrated with a triumphant parade around the arena on the shoulders of a team member.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who, along with Khelif, was disqualified from last year’s world championships after failing gender eligibility tests, is set to compete in the women’s 57kg final on Saturday.
“I’m very happy. For eight years, this has been my dream, and now I’m the Olympic champion and gold medallist,” said the 25-year-old Khelif. “I’ve worked for eight years—no sleep, always tired. Now, I’m the Olympic champion.”
Khelif’s victory marks a historic achievement as she becomes the first Algerian woman to win an Olympic boxing gold medal and the first Algerian boxer to win gold since Hocine Soltani’s triumph at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Khelif and Lin Yu-ting have been at the center of a controversy that has sparked intense debate across social media platforms. Both boxers were disqualified from the 2023 World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA) following a sex chromosome test that deemed them ineligible to compete.
However, the duo is now competing in the Olympics after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped the IBA of its status as the sport’s governing body in 2023, taking over the organization of boxing events for the Paris Games.