Paris – Olympic boxer Imane Khelif has spoken out against the wave of hateful scrutiny she has faced over misconceptions about her gender, emphasizing that such harassment “harms human dignity” and calling for an end to bullying against athletes. The Algerian athlete shared her tumultuous Olympic experience in an interview with SNTV, a sports video partner of The Associated Press, on Sunday night.
“I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects,” Khelif said in Arabic. “It can destroy people, it can kill people’s thoughts, spirit and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying.”
Khelif’s victories, along with those of fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, have captured significant attention at the Paris Games. Both athletes have secured their first Olympic medals amid online abuse based on unsubstantiated claims regarding their gender, highlighting the ongoing debates over gender identity and regulations in sports.
The 25-year-old Khelif expressed the strain and pain of enduring this ordeal while competing in the most crucial event of her athletic career, far from home. “I am in contact with my family two days a week. I hope that they weren’t affected deeply,” she said. “They are worried about me. God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal, and that would be the best response.”
The hostility she faces stems from the now-banned International Boxing Association’s claims that both Khelif and Lin failed unspecified eligibility tests for the women’s competition at last year’s world championships.
Khelif declined to discuss whether she had undergone tests other than doping tests, stating she didn’t want to focus on that. Instead, she expressed gratitude towards the International Olympic Committee and its president, Thomas Bach, for their steadfast support amidst the controversy fueled by the former governing body of Olympic boxing.
“I know that the Olympic Committee has done me justice, and I am happy with this remedy because it shows the truth,” she said. Despite the turmoil, Khelif has received massive support at her bouts, with cheers from the crowd and fans waving Algerian flags and chanting her name. She is slated to fight again on Tuesday in the women’s 66-kilogram semifinals at Roland Garros.
Khelif made it clear that she would not be deterred by the accusations and chatter, remaining focused on her goal of claiming Algeria’s first Olympic gold medal in women’s boxing. “I don’t care about anyone’s opinion,” Khelif said a day after defeating Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary. “I came here for a medal, and to compete for a medal. I will certainly be competing to improve (and) be better, and God willing, I will improve, like every other athlete.”
Though aware of the global discussions about her, Khelif has distanced herself from the noise. “Honestly, I don’t follow social media,” she said. “There is a mental health team that doesn’t let us follow social media, especially in the Olympic Games, whether me or other athletes. I’m here to compete and get a good result.”
Khelif began her Olympic journey last Thursday with a decisive victory over Angela Carini of Italy, who exited the bout after just 46 seconds. Carini later expressed regret and wished to apologize to Khelif. That unusual match ending amplified the chatter around Khelif, drawing comments from high-profile figures like former U.S. President Donald Trump and “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling, who falsely claimed Khelif was either a man or transgender.
The IOC has consistently declared both Khelif and Lin qualified for the Olympics, criticizing the nebulous testing standards and opaque governance of the IBA, which was entirely banned from the Olympics last year in an unprecedented punishment.
Khelif’s victory over Hamori on Saturday seemed cathartic. After the referee announced her win, she celebrated in the ring with evident emotion, her joy mixed with tears. “I couldn’t control my nerves,” Khelif said in the interview. “Because after the media frenzy and after the victory, there was a mix of joy and at the same time, I was greatly affected, because honestly, it wasn’t an easy thing to go through at all. It was something that harms human dignity.”
Having competed in IBA events for years without issue, Khelif was abruptly suspended from last year’s world championships. The Russian-dominated body, embroiled in conflicts with the IOC for years, has withheld details regarding the tests. Algeria’s national boxing federation remains an IBA member.
Khelif hails from rural northwestern Algeria, where she initially played soccer before falling in love with boxing. Overcoming her father’s objections, she commuted 10 kilometers by bus to train for fights in a neighboring town. After rising to the sport’s elite level in her late teens, Khelif faced early career struggles before establishing herself as a solid international competitor for six years. She lost to eventual gold medalist Kellie Harrington of Ireland at the Tokyo Olympics.
Khelif’s forthcoming bout in Paris is against Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand. A win would place her in the gold medal fight on Friday. “Yes, this issue involves the dignity and honor of every woman and female,” she told an Algerian broadcaster after beating Hamori. “The Arab population has known me for years and has seen me box in the IBA that wronged me (and) treated me unfairly, but I have God on my side.”
