Paris Olympics 2024: Imane Khelif's next opponent, Anna Luca Hamori under fire for 'tasteless' social media post
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is arguably the most polarizing person in the world right now. Her controversial win at the Paris Olympics 2024 against Italy's Angela Carini in the 66 kg weight class has divided opinions.
Unending debate over gender
Some argue that the 25-year-old should be disqualified as Khelif is a biological male, and it was unfair to the female boxers to make them compete against her.
Others, however, point out that Khelif has lived her entire life as a woman in a country where sex change is illegal, and they also note that she was cleared by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to compete in the Paris Olympics.
Also read:?2024 Paris Olympics: Here are the recently modified rules for transgenders
Who is Khelif's next opponent
As the debate rages on, Khelif's opponent in the upcoming quarterfinal round has faced criticism for a social media post that many saw as tasteless and racist. Hungary¡¯s Anna Luca Hamori, who will face Khelif in the quarterfinal on Saturday afternoon, has reposted several images and posts shared by Instagram users, mocking the Algerian.
Anna Luca Hamori's social media posts??
In one of the now-deleted posts, Hamori is seen in blue boxing trunks, gearing up to fight a much larger demon with horns, wearing red trunks. Khelif was wearing red trunks in her now-infamous bout against Carini.
'Against the spirit of Olympics'
Many on social media felt that the posts were an unnecessary provocation by the Hungarian, and some even demanded that she be banned for going against the spirit of the Olympics and the Athletes' Declaration.
Khelif get support from Australian boxer? ?
Meanwhile, yet another boxer has extended her support to Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, arguing that the controversy could have implications for their mental health.
Also read:?Imane Khelif gets support from Angela Carini, Dutee Chand and boxer who defeated her in 2022
Australian boxer Tina Rahimi, who also competes in the same division as Taiwan's double world champion Lin, who is also embroiled in the gender controversy, urged people to wait for clarity on the subject. Rahimi, who lost to Poland's Julia Szeremeta on Friday, asked critics to remember that Khelif and Lin were "human at the end of the day."
"I believe it takes a really massive toll on people's mental health," she added. "Going into a major event like this, I think it's really unnecessary unless there are proper facts to prove that is the case."
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