The air was thick with tension at the Paris Olympics as Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, surrounded by a gender dispute, triumphed over Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng in a welterweight semi-final at Roland Garros. With a unanimous decision, Khelif punched her way to the women’s final, showing the world her strength and determination.
Khelif, a silver medallist at the 2022 World Championships, and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting have been under intense scrutiny and debate on social media throughout the Olympics. Yet, after her victory, Khelif made it clear: “I don’t want anything to be said about the controversy.”
The trouble began last year when the International Boxing Association (IBA) suspended Khelif and Lin from the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi, citing sex chromosome tests as the reason for their ineligibility. Khelif had already bested Suwannapheng in the semi-finals, only to be disqualified, paving the way for Suwannapheng to win silver in the final.
In a bold move, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped the IBA of its status as the sport’s governing body, taking over the organization of boxing for the Paris Olympics. The IOC dismissed the IBA’s test results as arbitrary and illegitimate, reinstating the eligibility rules from the 2016 and 2021 Olympics, which do not include gender testing.
The controversy grew when Angela Carini, Khelif’s opponent in the round of 16, withdrew just 46 seconds into their bout, citing intense pain and safety concerns after a barrage of punches. This incident set social media ablaze, with high-profile figures like JK Rowling and Elon Musk weighing in against Khelif and Lin’s participation in the Games.
Despite the storm, Khelif and Lin have shown incredible resilience, fighting their way through the competition at the Paris Olympics. Their journey is a testament to their unwavering spirit and dedication to the sport, regardless of the controversies swirling around them.