Algerian-born boxer Imane Khelif’s boxing opener bout at the 2024 Paris Olympics made her a subject of online controversy after claims of her being transgender rose, given her physical traits. The issue got a hot hammer after her victory in the 46 seconds of the match; her opponent, Angela Carini, called off the game after exchanging a few punches.
The unusual way of Carini’s abandoning the game brought wrongful claims of Imane being transgender.
Amid this, the story of her disqualification from competing in the 2023 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships final got into the limelight as officials claimed that she had XY chromosomes and thus was disqualified.
For any individual to compete in the women’s category, one must have XX chromosomes.
However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) released a statement stating Khelif had passed eligibility criteria and later criticized the IBA, saying that their test was “sudden and arbitrary.”
Imane Khelif Never Identified Herself As Transgender: Pictures From Childhood And Birth Certificate Speak On Her Behalf
Due to her masculinity, Imane Khelif is often in talks about whether she had undergone gender affirmation surgery and became a female. However, the Algerian boxer has never confirmed that she is transgender.
Moreover, Imane’s family and relatives insist that the boxer was born and raised as a girl. Amid the controversy, pictures from her childhood began to circulate, showing her seemingly having an upbringing as a girl.
There are also reports of her being certificated as a girl when she was born. While growing up, she competed in women’s categories.
On top of that, the gender transition is illegal in her home country, Algeria.
Khelif, who is also a UNICEF ambassador, gave details in her interview about how her boxing journey as a girl was full of obstacles.
She grew up in a rural village in Tiaret in western Algeria, where she developed her love for football (which was not considered fit for a girl there). The boys used to pick fights with boys over games, which later inclined her to boxing.
Imane’s father, a welder who worked in the Sahara desert, didn’t approve of boxing for girls, let alone providing money for training. So, she used to sell scrap metal for recycling for transport fare and boxing training sessions in the town.
After Imane’s boxing career began to take flight, the opposing environment in her family turned 360, and now her parents are her greatest supporters
Speaking on how proud her dad and mom were of her participation in the 2024 Olympics, she said, “I started with nothing, and now I have everything. Both my parents come to support me. They are my biggest fans.”
IBA disqualified Imane Khelif From The 2023 Women’s Boxing Championship: Was It Because She Was Trans?
In 2022, Khelif reached the final of the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships—Light Welterweight, where she earned a silver medal after losing to Amy Broadhurst.
To make it to the gold, she competed in the 2023 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship. However, before her final bout for the gold medal, the IBA disqualified her and fellow boxer Lin Yu Ting for medical reasons.
In the aftermath of the disqualification, IBA President Umar Kremlev made a controversial statement to Tass, stating Imane had “XY chromosomes,” implying she was ineligible to compete in the women’s category.
Following the 2024 Olympics controversy, with many wrongfully claiming she was transgender, the dig out on the reason for her disqualification in 2023 also came.
So, in late July 2024, the IBA issued a statement stating that the two female boxers (Imane and Lin) did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a “separate and recognized test.” However, they kept the test and the results “confidential.”
Read More: Katie Ledecky Masculine Physique Soared Transgender Rumors: What’s Her Sexuality?
IOC’s Support To Imane And Question On Strong Ground For IBA’s Disqualification Steps
For the 2024 Paris Olympics boxing games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) organized the bouts independently, taking rights from the IBA due to the latter’s internal and managerial conflicts.
In the wake of online backlash on Imane Khelif concerning her sexuality, the IOC released a statement on the global gender storm, including Khelif and another female boxer, Lin, who was also rumored to be transgender.
Stating that both Imane and Lin passed their eligibility criteria, the IOC said it was saddening to see the abuse of the two boxers and “reports misleading information about two female athletes competing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.”
The statement added that all competitors complied with “eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations in accordance with rules 1.4 and 3.1 of the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit.”
Also, the committee raised concern about the validity of the IBA’s decision to suddenly disqualify Khelif and Lin in the 2023 Women’s World Championship final, claiming the test was “based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure.”
Yet, the clash of boxing federations and differences in gender eligibility testing criteria sparked controversy regarding her sexuality- even if Khelif never confirmed that she went under the knife.
Also Read: Kristen Faulkner’s Parents Instilled the Value of Hard Work in Her: More About Her Siblings
Imane Khelif vs Angela Carini Ended In 46 Seconds: Why Did Carini Abandon The Match?
In the opening match of the 2024 Olympic boxing games, the Algerian-born boxer Khelif faced Angela Carini from Italy.
However, after 46 seconds of the bout, after Carini took a blow to her nose, she forfeited the match. She abandoned the ring in tears while also refusing to shake hands with Khelif.
This unusual stance sparked controversy online, with many calling their match unfair. They even cited Imane as a man (trans) competing in the women’s category. Many even questioned if Angela left the match concerning unproven transgender issues, as she was reportedly telling her coach, “It’s not right, it’s not right,” after she took the blow.
However, in her post-fight interview, Carini stated that she forfeited the match due to physical pain and was not there to pass judgment on anyone.
On the contrary, her coach, Emanual Renzini, had a furious reaction and labeled Imane as “a male” opponent. He added, “Many people in Italy tried to call and tell her: ‘Don’t go (and fight) please: it’s a man, it’s dangerous for you.”
Algerian Olympic Committee Defend Khelif
After a heated controversy following the Khelif vs. Carini that brought allegations that Algerian boxer Imane is transgender, the Algerian Olympic Committee (AOC) came to her defense. They condemned the “unethical targeting” and “baseless propaganda” against her.
“COA strongly condemns the unethical targeting and maligning of our esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif, with baseless propaganda from certain foreign media outlets.”
The AOC stated that such actions were unfair, given that Imane was on her way to the pinnacle of her career at the Olympics. Moreover, several officials have confirmed independently that Imane is a female.
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Chandra, an enthusiast of Hollywood and sports, offers readers a captivating blend of analysis and expertise spanning over five years, with engaging and informative content. He is a driving force behind the StarBiographer, with editing, research, and content management roles.
