The Algerian pugilist in the middle of a controversy around gender at the Paris games has emerged as the Olympic victor.
Imane Khelif easily defeated China’s Yang Liu by unanimous decision to secure the gold in the final of the women’s welterweight category.
She dominated each of the three rounds according to the judges’ scores and joyfully jumped into her coach’s arms upon hearing the verdict.
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The 25-year-old was then paraded around the arena on her trainer’s shoulders in celebration.
Khelif had faced intense scrutiny following the withdrawal of a prior contender just 46 seconds into the match, citing concerns for her well-being due to the power of the Algerian’s punches.
The Algerian emerged as the champion in the 66kg welterweight division. Pic: Reuters
Khefli had stated that claiming the gold medal would constitute the most fitting reaction to her adversaries.
Some believed she should have been disqualified from competing due to suspicions of having heightened testosterone levels leading to increased strength and muscle mass – posing a potential risk to her opponents.
Khelif, along with a boxer from Taiwan, was excluded from the world championships last year after failing gender verification tests by the International Boxing Association (IBA).
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However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) denounced the ruling as “unexpected and capricious,” highlighting significant flaws in the tests.
The IBA has been suspended by the IOC due to governance issues, alleged misconduct, and connections to Russia.
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The spokesperson for the IOC, Mark Adams, emphasized that all the pugilists in Paris satisfied the criteria for eligibility – with gender and age requirements being “in accordance with their passport details”.
He highlighted that Khelif and Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan have been part of women’s boxing tournaments for numerous years, with the Algerian athlete also participating in the Tokyo Olympic Games.
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The controversy surrounding the boxers reignited the conversation on athletes who may possess variations in sexual development (DSD).
DSD encompasses a range of conditions where genes, hormones, and reproductive organs develop differently than the typical pattern.
Nonetheless, it remains uncertain whether Khelif and Yu-ting – who is set to compete in her own final on Saturday – have such variations.
