Algerian welterweight boxer Imane Khelif secured an Olympic medal by defeating Hungarian opponent Anna Luca Hamori in a unanimous decision on Saturday. The victory, which guarantees Khelif at least a bronze medal, was backed by enthusiastic support from her fans.
The win came amidst controversy over Khelif’s and fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting’s participation in the Olympics due to questions about their gender identity. International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach addressed these concerns, calling them “totally unacceptable.”
In a post-match interview, Khelif dedicated her victory to her global supporters and expressed pride in her Algerian heritage, saying, “Long live Algeria!” She wrapped herself in an Algerian flag and, holding back tears, declared, “I want to tell the entire world that I am a female, and I will remain a female.”
During the fight, Khelif’s supporters loudly chanted her name and waved Algerian flags. The judges scored all three rounds in favour of Khelif, with one judge awarding a 10-8 score in the second round.
Hamori, who had previously questioned Khelif’s gender, ultimately showed sportsmanship by exchanging pleasantries with Khelif post-fight.
Thomas Bach strongly defended the inclusion of Khelif and Yu-ting, stating, “We have two boxers who were born as women, who have been raised as women, who have a passport as a woman, and who have competed for many years as women.”
The controversy stemmed from a prior disqualification of both athletes from competing in a global event last year due to gender eligibility issues raised by the International Boxing Association. They had allegedly failed gender tests, accused of having male chromosomes, but were cleared by the IOC to compete in the women’s 66-kilogram and 57-kilogram categories at the Paris Games.
The debate was further fueled when Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew from her match against Khelif just 46 seconds in, leading to an automatic win for Khelif. Carini refused to shake hands and left the ring in tears.
Bach reiterated that there was “never any doubt” about Khelif’s and Yu-ting’s eligibility to compete as women, criticizing the backlash as “hate speech” and emphasizing that they have always competed in women’s divisions. He argued that efforts to redefine who qualifies as a woman are driven by intolerance and stressed the importance of respecting the athletes’ identities.