Olympic champion Imane Khelif recently unveiled a new look to celebrate her gold medal victory in Paris. Khelif’s participation in the women’s Olympic boxing event was a hot topic during the Games, especially after Italian boxer Angela Carini forfeited their match just 46 seconds into the bout.
Both Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan were previously disqualified from the 2023 World Championship by the IBA after reportedly failing a gender eligibility test.
Despite the controversy, the Algerian boxer remained focused, securing gold for her country in Paris, and later showcased her achievement with a fresh makeover.
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Imane Khelif Goes For An Unrecognizable Makeover
In an Instagram video, Khelif is first seen throwing punches at the camera before the scene cuts to her dressed in a pink floral outfit, complete with matching hoop earrings, pink eyeliner, and lip gloss. She proudly displays her medal and smiles for the camera in the short clip shared on social media.
Khelif’s involvement in the Olympics, strongly supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was a subject of debate throughout the Games, particularly following her disqualification from a previous competition, which sparked significant controversy.
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While the IBA excluded her and Lin from the World Championship, the IOC took a different stance. “This is a matter of justice: women must be allowed to participate in women’s competitions. And these two athletes are women,” said IOC president Thomas Bach.
Khelif herself defended her participation, asserting, “I am fully qualified to compete. I am a woman like any other. I was born a woman, lived as a woman, and competed as a woman—there’s no doubt about that.”
Despite her victory, Khelif faced criticism from public figures, including Elon Musk, CEO of X and Tesla, and author J.K. Rowling, both of whom she has named in a lawsuit.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump also referred to her as a man, an allegation Khelif admitted had “affected” her amidst the surrounding noise.
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