Inside life of Olympic boxer Imane Khelif ahead of semi-final fight - tough youth to 'hardest blow'
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif faces Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand in the welterweight semi-final on Tuesday
Imane Khelif's boxing match against Angela Carini is set to go down as one of the most controversial in Olympic history - but there's much more to know about the determined Algerian boxer.
Italian opponent Carini quit the round-of-16 bout in Paris just 46 seconds in on Thursday after she claimed Khelif threw the hardest punch of her career. The 25-year-old could be heard telling her coach, "It's not right, it's not right", and her tearful press conference sparked a global uproar, with many speculating over Khelif's gender and her right to participate in a women's competition.
The boxer, also 25, has become the target of transgender sceptics like JK Rowling, who call her a 'biological man' and insist she must not compete. However, it's been reported that Khelif is a biological woman who has a rare condition categorised as differences in sex development (DSD), which can result in female individuals having male chromosomes or anatomy.
READ MORE:Imane Khelif calls for end to 'bullying' as Olympic boxer at centre of gender row speaks out
READ MORE:Irish Olympic boxing legend Michael Carruth weighs in on Imane Khelif and Angela Carini boxing row
Imane, who was assigned female at birth and is recorded as female on her Algerian passport, said in an unearthed interview filmed ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics that she "wanted to show the whole world what a brave woman Imane Khelif is".
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has taken over the IBA this year to administer the boxing events in Paris, issued a statement on Thursday confirming that, as with previous Games, the gender of athletes is based on their passports. Spokesman Mark Adams said on Tuesday: "Everyone competing in the women's category is complying with the competition eligibility rules. They are women in their passports and it's stated that this is the case, that they are female."
Khelif has made her impassioned comeback after being disqualified from last year's World Boxing Championships after the IBA said she failed a gender eligibility test. The IBA claimed that the specifics of the test were confidential but did clarify that Khelif was not subject to a testosterone exam. Instead, Khelif underwent a separate test in which the organisation deemed the boxer had competitive advantages over other women athletes.
IBA president Umar Kremlev later said the tests "proved they had XY chromosomes and were thus excluded". Speaking about the setback, Khelif said: "The year 2023 was very difficult for me after a great year... It was a hard blow for me but I came back stronger to show my strength and my determination and show the whole world what a brave woman Imane Khelif is."
It's been a long road to triumph for Khelif, who once described her childhood as "really difficult". In an interview on the Algerian TV channel Canal Algerie, she said: "I come from a conservative region and family. Boxing was a sport dedicated only to men."
She told of how she struggled to make ends meet and sold bread to pay for her travel to boxing training. Khelif said: "These are obstacles that I encountered when I started. I happened to sell bread in the street, I collected dishes and other objects to earn money and to be able to move around because I came from a very poor family."
But it was all worth it - because she "fell in love" with boxing as soon as she stepped into the ring for the first time. With her determination to succeed, Imane moved out of her small Algerian village into the city and then the capital. She describes her career as an "impressive story" and is incredibly proud of her achievements.
Speaking about her journey, she said: "It was pure chance, I never imagined one day that I would become a boxer and that I would become world champion. I have always loved football and I played it in my little village. My father always preferred football to boxing. But I was very good at sports in my school and my teacher encouraged me to become a boxer since I had good physical qualities and he was right."
Khelif is now eyeing up a dream gold medal and will next feature in the women's welterweight quarter-finals on Saturday, where she will take on Hungarian Anna Luca Hamori. Despite the manner in which the Italian was brushed aside, Khelif's next opponent is prepared to upset the odds when she enters the ring. Hamori told reporters: "I'm not scared. I don't care about the press story and social media. If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win."
However, gold medal winner Nicola Adams has warned it would be "unfair and dangerous" for people who have gone through male puberty to fight against women. Adams, who won flyweight gold for Team GB in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, wrote on X on Friday: "After years of fighting for women’s boxing to even exist in the Olympics and then all the training they go through to get there it was hard to watch another fighter be forced to give up on her Olympic dreams.
"People not born as biological women, that have been through male puberty, should not be able to compete in women’s sport. Not only is this unfair it’s dangerous!"
Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
