August 07, (THEWILL) – Algerian boxer, Imane Khelif, has guaranteed herself at least a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, despite being at the centre of a gender controversy. Khelif defeated Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng in a unanimous points decision in the women’s 66kg semi-final at Roland Garros on Tuesday.
The match took place amid ongoing debates about Khelif’s eligibility. Both she and Taiwanese boxer, Lin Yu-ting, were disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing gender eligibility tests. However, they were later cleared to compete in Paris. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has defended both athletes, stating they were born and raised as women and have passports confirming their gender.
Khelif’s victory was met with enthusiasm from a large crowd at Roland Garros, which included many Algerian supporters. Chants of “Imane, Imane” could be heard throughout the bout. After the match, Khelif expressed her pride in reaching the final and her hope to “be up to the responsibility in the dream final.”
The gender controversy intensified when Khelif won her opening bout against Italy’s Angela Carini in just 46 seconds. This led to claims from Umar Kremlev, president of the International Boxing Association (IBA), that genetic testing showed both Khelif and Lin “are men.” However, the IOC, which is organising boxing at the Olympics due to concerns about the IBA, has strongly refuted these claims.
Khelif will face China’s Yang Liu in Friday’s final for the gold medal. Meanwhile, Lin Yu-ting is set to compete in the semi-finals of the women’s 57kg division on Wednesday, also guaranteed at least a bronze medal.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
