Imane Khelif (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images)
Algeria’s Imane Khelif secured her spot in the women’s boxing final at the 2024 Olympic Games with a win over Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng before opening up on all the abuse she’s received since that controversial match vs. Italian Angela Carini.
The 25-year-old cut an emotional figure as she broke down in tears after beating Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori in Saturday’s quarter-final but was jumping for joy following her semi-final triumph on Tuesday.
She would also discuss the online bullying she’s had to deal with amid the claims of her being transgender while speaking to SNTV in an interview conducted in Arabic.
“God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal, and that would be the best response,” she said (H/T the Associated Press). “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.”
Imane Khelif Is Grateful To The IOC For Having Her Back
Imane Khelif, who admitted her parents are worried about her, added that bullying “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.”
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She thanked the International Olympic Committee for having her back and doing her “justice” as well.
IOC president Thomas Bach has indeed spoken out in the Algerian’s defense, insisting she was eligible to fight as a woman in the Olympics because she was born and raised female and has competed as a woman in the past. He pointed out that she is also registered as a woman on her passport.
Khelif will face China’s Yang Lui in the welterweight women’s final this Friday. Given the controversy still surrounding the Algerian, the match should generate a lot of buzz.
