Imane Khelif born on 2 May 1999 is an Algerian professional boxer. She won the gold medal in the women’s welterweight event at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Personal Details
| Born | 2 May 1999 (age 25) Aïn Sidi Ali, Laghouat, Algeria |
|---|---|
| Weight class | Light welterweightWelterweight |
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
Imane Khelif Controversy
Following Khelif’s victory over Italy’s Angela Carini during the 2024 Olympic Games, misinformation surfaced on social media about her gender. False assertions about her gender were fuelled by Khelif’s disqualification from the 2023 Women’s World Boxing Championships, organized by the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA) after she allegedly failed unspecified gender eligibility tests. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its Paris Boxing Unit stated that Khelif was eligible to compete in the Olympics and criticized the IBA’s previous disqualification as “sudden and arbitrary” and taken “without any due process”. No medical evidence that Khelif has XY chromosomes or elevated levels of testosterone has been published. Khelif was born female. (Source-Wikipedia)
The 2023 World Boxing Championships Controversy
Held in New Delhi, the 2023 World Boxing Championships saw Khelif being barred from competing in the event by IBA President Umar Kremlev. In his statement, Kremlev said: “Based on DNA tests, we identified several athletes who tried to trick their colleagues into posing as women. According to the results of the tests, it was proved that they have XY chromosomes. Such athletes were excluded from competition.”
The Algerian Olympic Committee took a slightly different stance on Khelif’s elimination, saying she was disqualified for “medical reasons.” Algerian media, on the other hand, said that Khelif was disqualified for high testosterone levels, as per Reuters.
Who Is Imane Khelif?
Khelif made her boxing debut as a professional in the 2018 World Championships, finishing 17th. At the 2018 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, Khelif finished 17th in the women’s lightweight event after being eliminated in the first round by Karina Ibragimova.
In the 2019 edition of the event, she finished 19th. At the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, she finished 33rd in the women’s lightweight event after being eliminated in the first round by Natalia Shadrina.
In March 2021, she won a gold medal at the Istanbul Bosphorus International Boxing Tournament, defeating Anastasia Belyakova in the final of the women’s lightweight event
Khelif competed in the Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021, where Ireland’s Kellie Harrington knocked her out in the quarter-finals.
Khelif secured the second spot in the Women’s World Boxing Championships after being defeated by Amy Broadhurst.
She won gold medals in the 2022 African Championships, Mediterranean Games, and 2023 Arab Games the following years.
In March 2023, Khelif competed for the gold medal in the finals at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships; however, she was disqualified shortly before her gold medal bout against People’s Republic of China boxer Yang Liu. The disqualification came amid allegations from the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA) that Khelif had failed unspecified eligibility tests.
She won the gold medal in the women’s welterweight event at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Khelif is known for her technical skills, quick footwork, and strong defensive capabilities. Her agility in the ring and ability to adapt to different opponents have made her a formidable competitor.
