Table of Contents
- Where Does the Criticism of the Boxer Come From?
- Who is Boxer Imane Khelif?
- What's the Deal with the Transgender Rumors?
- Are There Similar Cases at the Olympics?
- What Happens Next?
- Imane Khelif's controversial victory <unk> who is the Algerian boxer?
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won her round of 16 match at the Summer Games in just 46 seconds. Her Italian opponent Angela Carini complained of nose pain after a few punches and conceded. The customary handshake after the bout did not occur.
"I don't consider this a loss," the Italian said later. "I'm a mature woman. The ring is my life. I've always acted very instinctively. And if I feel something isn't right, that doesn't mean I give up. It's about having the maturity to stop. It's about having the maturity to say: 'Okay, that's enough.'"
The incident sparked a large debate about the Algerian boxer's participation in the Olympic Games. What exactly is the issue? Who is the controversial boxer? And what are the rumors that she is transgender? We answer the most important questions about the case in an overview.
Where Does the Criticism of the Boxer Come From?
The participation of Imane Khelif in the Olympic Games has sparked criticism because she was retroactively disqualified from the World Championships in New Delhi last year. The reason: people with XY chromosomes should not compete in women's events due to physical advantages. Furthermore, high levels of the male sexual hormone testosterone were found in her at the time. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) relies on a different rulebook and has allowed the boxer to compete in women's events, criticizing the decision at the WM as arbitrary.
This is enough for many critics to question the Algerian's victory. The accusation, among others, by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: Here, a man is beating a woman. "It's naturally absurd to claim that a person born male can have a woman's body through hormones and operations. What has also been proven by this tragic boxing match," said feminist Alice Schwarzer in an interview with the "New Osnabruecker Zeitung".
IOC spokesman Mark Adams defended the decision as follows: "They have competed in women's competitions, they have won against women over the years, and they have lost against women." Every participant meets the admission requirements and the medical basics.
Who is Boxer Imane Khelif?
Imane Khelif is 25 years old and was raised as a woman in Algeria. Inspired by the Olympic Games in 2016, she decided to pursue a career in boxing at the age of 17. Since then, she has participated in numerous competitions and is supported in her sporting career by her home country.
The Algerian Olympic Committee has already commented on the criticism of the athlete: "These lies-based defamation attempts are completely unfair, especially at a crucial moment when she is preparing for the Olympics, the highlight of her career." It was further stated in the statement: "We are all behind you, Imane. The whole nation is behind you and proud of your achievements." Her greatest success so far has been a silver medal at the World Championships in 2022.
What's the Deal with the Transgender Rumors?
Imane Khelif is not transgender. She was raised and socialized as a girl and has competed in women's competitions throughout her life. The fact that she has XY chromosomes and elevated testosterone levels is due to intersexuality, which means a person has characteristics of both sexes, although one usually predominates. Khelif is therefore a woman with male physical characteristics. Incidentally, a transition would be legally difficult for the athlete, as it is not possible under Algerian law, which does not recognize transgender people.
Are there similar cases at the Olympics?
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is not the only athlete who has sparked controversy at the Olympics this year due to genetic peculiarities. Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting was also disqualified at the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi but is now competing at the Olympics. She will face Uzbek boxer Sitori Turdibekova in the featherweight category. Zambian football captain Barbra Banda also had elevated testosterone levels detected during a 2022 check, but she and her team are now ready to compete at the Olympics.
Tolerance towards genetic peculiarities has a history at the Olympics. Other examples include South African 800m runner Caster Semenya, who has no uterus or fallopian tubes and correspondingly high testosterone levels, which she has been medically regulating for years to become a two-time world champion and three-time Olympic champion. Erik Schinegger won the 1966 Alpine Skiing World Cup as Erika but later transitioned after being diagnosed with Klinefelter syndrome.
What happens next?
On Saturday, Khelif will face Hungarian Anna Luca Hamori in the quarterfinals. Hamori has already commented on the upcoming match and showed diplomacy: "I have no fear. If she or he is a man, my victory will only be greater," said the Hungarian.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has allowed Imane Khelif to compete in women's events despite being retroactively disqualified from the World Championships due to her XY chromosomes and elevated testosterone levels. Critics argue that it's unfair for a man to compete against women, but the IOC defends its decision, claiming that Khelif has always competed against and lost to women.
Despite the controversy, it's important to note that Imane Khelif is not transgender. She was raised and socialized as a woman and has competed in women's competitions throughout her life. Her genetic condition, intersexuality, has resulted in her having male physical characteristics, but a transition would be legally difficult for her under Algerian law.
