- Khelif defies gender debate and wins a medal
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, despite the heated gender debate surrounding women's boxing at the Olympics, has reached the semifinals and secured a medal. The 25-year-old defeated Hungarian Anna Luca Hamori (23) in the welterweight quarterfinals, winning unanimously despite a warning. "I tried to behave sportsmanlike the whole time, and I have nothing negative to say about my opponent," said Hamori.
Unlike her first victory, which came after just 46 seconds via technical knockout against Italian Angela Carini, this time Khelif shook hands with her opponent after the decision was announced. Khelif was also cheered on loudly by numerous Algerian fans at the boxing hall in northern Paris, and she celebrated her victory by pounding the ring floor, saluting, and crying.
Before the fight, which was closely followed by numerous international media representatives, Hamori had provocatively stated: "If she or he is a man, it would be an even greater victory for me if I win." Afterwards, she explained: "I think the last few days have been difficult for everyone, for me and for her too, and that's why I wanted to show that I respect her and have no ill will towards her, as she can't help it. What happened, happened, we both entered the ring to fight, and she won, and in the future, it could be different."
Bach defends starting rights
There is a heated controversy surrounding the starting rights of Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting from Taiwan in Paris. Both boxers were disqualified from last year's World Championships after tests, with the IBA, which is no longer recognized by the International Olympic Committee, providing no further details. The IBA claimed that both did not meet the required participation criteria and had a competitive advantage compared to other female participants.
The IOC called it a "random decision without proper procedure" and allows Lin and Khelif to compete in Paris. Lin (28) will box in her quarterfinal on Sunday (11:00 AM) in the 57 kg weight class against Bulgarian Svetlana Staneva for a medal. "There was never any doubt that they are women," IOC President Thomas Bach reiterated on Saturday. Amid heavy criticism, especially from the right-wing conservative camp, Bach stressed that the IOC will not participate in a "politically motivated culture war."
Hate and support
Both athletes have been targeted with online abuse. "The appalling extent of online harassment against these boxers is yet another deeply disturbing example of the toxic, sexist, and racist discourse that has harmed women in sport and society," said Stephen Cockburn of Amnesty International in a statement from the Sports & Rights Alliance. "These women have done nothing wrong and are still being hunted with hate." Representatives of other organizations such as Human Rights Watch and ILGA World also supported the two athletes.
The IBA decided that the defeated Carini and her team should receive the 100,000 USD prize money awarded by the federation for each Olympic victory. However, the Italian has since expressed support for Khelif: "I have nothing against Khelif, if I were to meet her again, I would hug her."
In the ongoing controversy, Lin Yu-Ting from Taiwan, like Imane Khelif, has been granted the chance to compete in the Paris Olympics after being disqualified last year due to controversial test results. Despite facing harsh online abuse, Lin will box in the 57 kg weight class quarterfinals on Sunday.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), led by President Thomas Bach, has defended the starting rights of both Khelif and Lin, calling the previous disqualifications a "random decision without proper procedure" and denouncing any politically motivated culture war.
