'Born and lived as a woman', says Imane Khelif after winning gold in Boxing at Paris Olympics 2024

Algeria’s Imane Khelif, arguably the most polarizing competitor in the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024, has won the gold medal in the women's boxing 66kg final. Khelif defeated Chinese world champion Yang Liu 5-0 unanimously at Roland Garros on Friday.

CREDIT: AP

First Arab woman to win Olympic gold medal in boxing

The 25-year-old, who became the first woman from Africa and the Arab world to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing, had been embroiled in the biggest controversy the Paris Games have seen since its start.

She was at the center of a gender controversy, with many, including some boxers, calling for her to be disqualified from competition, arguing that she was a biological male as she had an XY chromosome.

CREDIT: REUTERS

'My medal is my response'

On Friday, Khelif said the gold medal was her response to those who tried to pull her down.

"I was subjected to bullying and a fierce campaign, and this is the greatest response to them," she said.

Also read:?Imane Khelif gets support from Angela Carini, Dutee Chand and boxer who defeated her in 2022

'I am a woman'

Khelif reiterated that she lived all her life as a woman and claimed that the controversy was triggered by those who couldn't digest her success in the ring.

"I am fully qualified to take part. I am a woman like any other. I was born a woman, lived as a woman, and competed as a woman. These are enemies of success. That gives my success a special taste because of these attacks," she said.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Gender controversy

Khelif landed in trouble for the first time in 2023 during the world championships in Delhi when she and Li Yu-ting of Taiwan were disqualified by the International Boxing Association, which claimed both failed an eligibility test for women's competition.

However, since the International Olympic Committee banned the IBA, Olympic boxing was outside their purview, and thus the duo was allowed to compete in Paris.

Also read:?Imane Khelif's opponent, Anna Luca Hamori under fire for 'tasteless' social media post

CREDIT: REUTERS

Khelif noted that she has boxed in IBA competitions since 2018, but now “they hate me, and I don't know why."

"I sent them a single message with this gold medal, and that is that my dignity and honor are above all else,” she said.

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