Father of Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif Defends Her in Olympic Gender Dispute
Imane Khelif’s dad has clapped back at critics following the controversy over her participation in the Paris Olympics after she failed a testosterone test. Amar Khelif slammed the backlash as “immoral” and encouraged his daughter to go for gold for Algeria.
Imane Khelif went viral when her opponent, Angela Carini, quit just 46 seconds into their bout at the Games. The 25-year-old was one of two athletes disqualified from last year’s world championships in New Delhi for not meeting gender eligibility criteria. Her participation has sparked outrage from female boxers and women’s rights advocates.
Amar Khelif defended his daughter, calling the controversy a “ploy” to stop her from winning a medal. He said, “The attacks against her are immoral and unfair. Imane has loved sports since she was six years old. These critics and rumors are just trying to destabilize her; they don’t want her to be the champion. I tell her to prove them wrong in the ring, and I hope she will honor Algeria and the Arab world by winning the gold medal. She is our role model, and we want to be like her and honor Algeria and Tiaret.”
Amar also showed an official document dated May 2, 1999, proving Imane was born female.
Meanwhile, a human rights chief blasted Olympic boxing at Paris 2024 as an “absurd and dangerous spectacle,” as another female boxer who previously failed a gender test prepared to fight. Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting won against Sitora Turdibekova of Uzbekistan in the 57kg category on Friday.
The charity Sex Matters, along with JK Rowling and double Olympic gold medalist Nicola Adams, criticized the bouts. Sex Matters director Fiona McAnena said the International Olympic Committee (IOC) should be “ashamed” of their policies, which she claims make sports unfair and unsafe for women.
Elon Musk supported efforts to trend #IStandWithAngelaCarini, and American swimmer Riley Gaines tweeted, “Men don’t belong in women’s sports. #IStandWithAngelaCarini Let’s get it trending.”