Imane Khelif’s next rival at the Olympic Games sparks controversy with her statements before the fight

The controversy continues in the Olympic Games for the participation of the Algerian Imane Khelif, who beat the Italian on Thursday Angela Carini in a fight that lasted 46 seconds in the welterweight category (between 63.5 and 66.6 kg).

The nonconformity stems from the fact that the Algerian did not pass gender tests in the 2023 Women’s Amateur World Boxing Championships and was found to have high levels of testosterone. In addition, a DNA test confirmed that Khelif has male chromosomes (XY).

There has been much speculation about the gender of the African fighter. Some people, such as the Italian Minister for Family, Birth and Equal Opportunities, Eugenia Roccella, She said she was transgender, which is not true and is not allowed in Algeria.

The Khelif vs. Hámori fight heats up

Imane Khelif She is now preparing for her Olympic quarter-final match against the Hungarian Luca Hamoriwho added a lot of spice to the fight and generated a lot of controversy with his incendiary words.

“If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win,” began the European boxer who will fight Khelif this Saturday at around 10:25 in the morning in Colombia (5:25 in France).

“We haven’t practiced or fought before. I don’t care about stories or what’s happening on social media, I just want to be focused on myself.“I came here to get a medal. I don’t care about anything,” said Hámori before the fight in the women’s welterweight category.

“I will go to the ring and get my victory. I trust my coaches and I trust myself. If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win. So let’s do it, it will be a great fight and I hope I can win,” he said.

The female boxer Luca Hamori She is coming off a win in her round of 16 after beating Australian Marissa Williamson by unanimous decision.

Official statement from the International Olympic Committee

“Everyone has the right to practice sports without discrimination.“, reads th
e headline of the International Olympic Committee’s statement.

All athletes participating in the boxing tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry rules, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU). As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, athletes’ gender and age are based on their passport.

We have seen misleading information in reports about two female athletes competing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The two athletes have been competing in international boxing competitions for many years in the women’s category, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championships and IBA-sanctioned tournaments.

These two athletes were victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA. Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process.

“The IOC is committed to protecting the human rights of all athletes participating in the Olympic Games, in accordance with the Olympic Charter, the IOC Code of Ethics and the IOC Strategic Framework on Human Rights. The IOC deplores the abuse that the two athletes are currently suffering,” the statement said.

SPORTS