- Boxer Imane Khelif celebrates emotional Olympic victory
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif held up under the pressure of a heated gender debate and won gold in the Olympics. The 25-year-old defeated Chinese world champion Yang Liu unanimously in the welterweight final and became an Olympic champion.
"God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal, that would be the best response," Khelif had said recently. She was cheered on by around 15,000 spectators in the final match on the Court Philippe Chatrier at Stade Roland Garros. After the verdict, Khelif celebrated her victory with a joyful dance in the ring center and was then carried on the shoulders of an Algerian official to the cheering crowd.
Controversy over participation
There is a fierce debate surrounding the participation of Khelif and Lin Yu-ting (28) from Taiwan, who will box for gold in the featherweight category against Polish boxer Julia Szeremeta on Saturday. This debate goes beyond sports and involves high political circles. Both boxers were previously excluded from the 2023 World Championships by the IBA, which is not recognized by the International Olympic Committee. According to the IBA, both boxers did not meet the required participation criteria and had "competitive advantages" compared to other female participants.
The IOC called it a "capricious decision without proper procedure" and allowed Khelif and Lin to participate in Paris. The gender indicated in the passport is a determining factor for admission to many sports, the IOC explained. The IOC warned of a "culture war." Controversial Russian IBA president Umar Kremlev criticized that the current debate is "destroying" sport.
Khelif expressed her hope that her success in the Olympics would serve as a strong response to the ongoing controversy, referring to the 'Summer game' as a platform where she could potentially win a gold medal. In light of the controversy, the 'Summer game' became a stage for a heated debate involving high political circles, focusing on the participation of Khelif and Lin Yu-ting in the featherweight category.
