Paris Olympics | Algerian boxer Imane Khelif wins gold amid gender row

Overcoming the gender row, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won gold in the women's 66 kg final at the Paris Olympics on Friday (August 9). She defeated China's Yang Liu, securing a unanimous points decision and becoming one of the most controversial and successful athletes at the Games.

Khelif earned unanimous decision from all five judges. All judges handed the bout in her favour for all three rounds in the final of the women's welterweight division. The Algerian boxer didn't lose a single round on the judge's scorecard in the lead-up to the Paris Games final.

“I’m very happy. This has been my dream for eight years and I’m now the Olympic champion and gold medalist,” said an ecstatic Khelif looking back at her hard work and struggles over the years. After receiving a phone call from the Algerian president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the triumphant 25-year-old told beIN Sports: “I was subjected to bullying and a fierce campaign and this is the greatest response to them.”

Together with Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, who fights in the 57 kg women's final on Saturday, Khelif was disqualified from last year's world championships after they failed gender eligibility testing. However, they were cleared to compete in Paris, setting the stage for one of the biggest controversies of the Games.

The controversy

It all started last week when Italian boxer Angela Carini apologised to Khelif after a massive gender controversy erupted at the Paris Olympics 2024.

Carini was in tears after abandoning her boxing bout against Khelif in just 46 seconds on Thursday (August 1). She also refused to shake hands with Khelif, who had been accused of “being a biological male” and competing in the women’s category at the Paris Olympics.

After Carini quit her bout, there was massive support for her on social media. Many including political leaders like former US President Donald Trump rallied around Carini and hit out at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for “allowing male boxers” in the women’s section.

Later, Carini said sorry to Khelif and added that the controversy surrounding her bout makes her “sad”. “All this controversy makes me sad… I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision,” Carini told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, according to a report in BBC.

She also reflected on not shaking hands with Khelif. “It wasn’t something I intended to do,” Carini said. “Actually, I want to apologise to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke.”

Carini said she would “embrace her” if she met Khelif again in a boxing competition.