Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer at the center of a gender controversy at the Summer Olympics in Paris, clinched a medal at the Summer Games on Saturday.
Khelif, born a woman but with high testosterone levels, was previously banned from competing in the 2023 World Championships. However, under the International Olympic Committee’s rules, she was allowed to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Khelif gained widespread attention for her swift victory over Italy’s Angela Carini on Thursday. Carini conceded the fight in less than a minute after taking a significant blow to the head. Khelif’s performance propelled her further into the Olympic women’s boxing tournament, securing her no worse than a bronze medal.
After her victory over Hungary’s Anna Luca, which ensured her a spot in the semifinals and at least a bronze medal (since boxing doesn’t have a third-place match), Khelif delivered a powerful message to her critics: “I am a woman,” she told reporters in Paris.
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Khelif, who has always identified as a woman and is listed as such on her passport, has consistently competed in the women’s division.
Despite the controversy surrounding her participation, the IOC stands by its decision to allow her to compete.
“Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination,” the IOC stated. “All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit. As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport.”
The IOC further explained that these regulations were enforced throughout the qualification period, including the 2023 European Games, Asian Games, Pan American Games, and Pacific Games, as well as the African qualifying tournament in Dakar and world qualifying tournaments held in Italy and Thailand in 2024. In total, these events involved 1,471 different boxers from 172 National Olympic Committees.
Next up for Khelif is a semifinal bout against Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand on Tuesday.
