Athletistic / Boxing. One of the most talked about athletes at the 2024 Olympics in Paris was boxer Iman Khelif. The Algerian representative is remembered not so much for her gold medal in the weight category up to 66 kg, but for the conversations about her gender. And these conversations only gained momentum: the closer Iman, 25, got to the final, the louder and louder her opponents expressed their dissatisfaction.

The beginning of this story takes us back a year: at the World Boxing Championships held in 2023 in New Delhi (India), Iman Khelif was disqualified by decision of the International Boxing Association (IBA) during the competition. The reason was the athlete’s failed gender test – during her tests, IBA representatives found XY chromosomes, essentially recognizing the fact that the Algerian is a man.

But despite the scandal a year ago, Khelif still came to the 2024 Olympics in Paris. The fact is that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is at odds with the IBA and does not trust any statements or investigations of the International Boxing Association. And in general, the IOC has become a very liberal organization and previously accepted much more scandalous and controversial stories.

In fact, those interested in Khelif’s story were divided into two camps: the first – they believe in the athlete’s honesty; the second – accuse him of lying and cheating. During the 2024 Olympic Games, Iman Khelif’s father published childhood photographs of his daughter. The photographs clearly show that the future Olympic champion has nothing to do with the male gender. However, the wheel of popular anger had already accelerated, and even the intervention of the parents did not convince a single camp that the IOC and Khelif were deceiving humanity and nature.

Photo source: CNO of Algeria

An important role in this story was played by Khelif’s rivals, who eventually paid tribute to the Algerian. Some of them even admitted that they knew Iman and remembered her childhood tournaments. The most famous case of this kind is Khelif’s fight in the 1/8 finals of the 2024 Olympics with the Italian Angela Carini. This fight ended in the 46th second after Carini refused. First, after the fight, the Italian said that she had never been beaten so badly in her life, doubting Iman’s honesty. A few days later, Angela apologized to her rival.

“This whole situation saddens me.” I also feel sorry for my opponent. If the IOC allowed Khelif to box at the Olympics, then I respect that decision. In fact, I want to apologize to Iman and everyone. I was angry because my Olympics were ruined. If I meet Khelif, I will definitely hug her.Carini said in a conversation with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

However, by that time the flywheel of hatred had already been set in motion. Khelif was accused of dishonesty by politicians, businessmen, actors, athletes and even famous writers.

— I think that athletes with male genetic characteristics should not participate in women’s competitions. The IOC must consider the consequences and not discriminate. There was an unfair battle in the fight between our athlete and the representative of Algeriasaid Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Legendary author JK Rowling also joined the criticism. The creator of books about the wizard Harry Potter did not mince her words.

“A young female boxer has had everything she worked and trained for her entire life stolen from her. All because the IOC allowed a man to enter the same ring as her. You are a disgrace, your defense is a mockery! The Paris 2024 Olympics will forever be tainted by a cruel injustice… This is not a sport!” – Rowling wrote on her social media.

As a result, after the Olympics ended, Iman Khelif accused all her detractors of cyberbullying and filed a class action lawsuit against many famous people. The list included not only JK Rowling, but also one of the richest people on the planet, Elon Max, and US presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Photo source: White House Press Office

Interestingly, Trump, regarding Khelif, noted a sweet message on social media “I will not allow men to play women’s sports!”, and Musk reposted a message from American swimmer Riley Gaines, who wrote that “men have no place in women’s sports.”

Then things took an even more brutal turn. In an interview with Variety, Iman Khelif’s legal representative, Nabil Budi, indicated that his client had filed a complaint with the Center for Combating Hate on the Internet at the Paris prosecutor’s office. And this organization has all the levers to ensure that this trial becomes a global trial. The fact is that this Center has the legal right to request legal assistance from other countries. According to the same Budi, this is a very serious matter and, in recent years, “acts of serious harassment on the Internet” have even resulted in prison sentences.

It is highly likely that neither Rowling, nor Musk, nor even Trump will cause major legal problems. However, with their help, Iman is trying to rally more people to her side and also trying to silence representatives of the opposing camp.

Iman Khelif is understandable. The Algerian woman did not change sex, but was born with a developmental anomaly. This is exactly the diagnosis in her medical file. With this anomaly, the secondary sexual characteristics do not correspond to the chromosomal sequence.

In a normal world, all the disputes and quarrels should have been stopped by the IOC and its president Thomas Bach. The organization and/or the German would only have had to publish the data of the investigation conducted against Khelif before making the final decision on his admission to the Paris Olympics. However, the IOC is now sick and seems to be the last thing on his mind when it comes to sports and the fight for the truth.

Nikita Serbakov, Athletistic



Athletistic