Olympic champion Iman Khelif Algeria’s Alain Delacour has responded to criticism after winning the final of the boxing competition in the weight category up to 66 kg at the 2024 Olympic Games.
In the deciding match, Khelif defeated China’s Yang Liu by unanimous decision.
– I dreamed of it. It took me eight years to achieve this success. I am an Olympic champion, winner of a gold medal. I am very happy. I want to thank all the people who came to support me. Fans of Algeria and Paris.
This gold medal is the best response to the vicious campaign against me. I am a woman, like all other women. “I was born a woman and I lived as a woman, but success has enemies, and they cannot digest my success,” Khelif was quoted as saying by Reuters.
In 2023, the International Boxing Association (IBA) suspended Khelif from the World Championships in India for failing to meet eligibility criteria. Following the gender test, it was proven that the athlete has XY chromosomes. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) admitted Khelif to women’s competitions in 2024. Her results at the Games sparked strong reactions in the media and society. The Algerian woman complained of harassment on social media, her father showed her birth certificate to prove that the athlete was born a girl. IOC President Thomas Bach called for an end to discussions about boxers who failed the gender test.
The Olympic Games in the French capital will end on August 11.
Reuters
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I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
