Imane Khelif Wins Gold in Women’s 66kg Boxing Amidst Gender Controversy at Roland-Garros

Imane Khelif of Algeria won the gold medal in the women’s welterweight boxing division on Friday, securing a unanimous decision victory over China’s Yang Liu. The match was marked by overwhelming support from the Algerian crowd at Roland-Garros Stadium, where chants of “allez Imane” and “1, 2, 3 Algérie!” echoed throughout the venue.

Khelif’s triumph was confirmed by all five judges, who scored each round 10-9 in her favor. Following her victory, a jubilant scene unfolded as a member of her corner lifted Khelif onto his shoulders, parading her around the stadium while she proudly waved the Algerian flag.

The victory comes after a challenging week for Khelif, who, alongside featherweight boxer Lin Yu-Ting from Chinese Taipei, has faced scrutiny regarding her gender. The controversy was ignited by the International Boxing Association (IBA) following Khelif’s initial win against Angela Carini. Carini’s quick withdrawal after just 46 seconds exposed the 2023 allegations from the IBA, which had previously led to the exclusion of both Khelif and Lin from a competition in New Delhi last year.

The IBA, supported financially by Russian state-owned Gazprom, raised doubts about the boxers’ gender based on chromosome tests conducted in 2022 and 2023. However, the organization has not provided detailed results of these tests. A recent press conference held by IBA President Umar Kremlev in Paris offered little clarity and was marked by his controversial remarks comparing the Olympics to biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and USA Boxing have endorsed Khelif and Lin’s eligibility based on their gender as stated on their passports, distancing themselves from the IBA’s claims. The IOC and USA Boxing severed ties with the IBA last year, before the controversy surrounding Khelif and Lin gained wider attention.

The dispute over Khelif’s gender even reached the United Nations, where a verbal exchange occurred between Russian and Algerian diplomats. Deputy Russian U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy criticized the participation of individuals he claims are men competing in women’s events, describing it as “absolutely repellant.” In response, Senior Algerian diplomat Toufik Koudri defended Khelif, stating unequivocally that she is a woman who has lived as such, accusing the critics of having ulterior political motives.

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