Imane Khelif is fiercely defending her right to compete as the IBA challenges her Olympic eligibility, turning her victory into a broader gender battle in boxing.
Olympic champion Imane Khelif is not relenting in the fight against the International Boxing Association following their recent move to seek legal action.
The IBA has promised to act against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for allowing Imane Khelif to compete in the women’s category at the Paris Olympic Games.
The cisgender athlete won a gold medal in the women’s 66kg competition, something that stirred a lot of controversy from across the globe but Khelif remains unshaken by what people have to say.
Faith Kipyegon, Letsile Tebogo and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif will be honoured at a prestigious event in Algiers in March.
The IBA also joined the movement and as reported by CNN Sport, the federation announced that they were in the process of filing a complaint with the Attorney General of Switzerland.
The case involves Imane Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting who according to the IBA, are ineligible athletes to compete yet they were allowed to participate at the Paris Olympic Games.
Hitting back at IBA, Imane Khelif shared a lengthy post on Instagram, seemingly revealing that the fight is not over yet.
“For eight years, I have fought for my dream – eight years of sacrifice, discipline, and perseverance to stand on the Olympic stage and represent my country with pride. I have earned my place, and I will continue to stand firm in the face of any challenge,” the Algerian boxer wrote.
“For two years, I have taken the high road while my name and image have been used, unauthorized, to further personal and political agendas through the spreading and dissemination of baseless lies and misinformation. But silence is no longer an option.”
Imane Khelif further noted that they are not associated with the IBA anymore and they should stop the bothers since they are not even recognised by the International Olympic Committee.
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Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is taking legal action over media reports on leaked medical records claiming she has XY chromosomes, following controversy over her eligibility in the women’s category at the Paris Olympics.
The Algerian boxer explained that the IBA has made false and offensive accusations, noting that it not only affects Khelif but also all others when it comes to ‘principles of fairness and due process in sport.’
“My team is carefully reviewing the situation and will take all necessary legal steps to ensure that my rights and the principles of fair competition are upheld,” Khelif shared.
“I will fight in the ring, I will fight in courts, and I will fight in the public eye until the truth is undeniable.”
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According to the IOC, Imane Khelif is not a transgender athlete and the IBA is just pushing a false narrative against the entity.
“They were born as women, were raised as women, and have competed in the women’s category for their entire boxing careers, including at previous international competitions such as the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, when both of them did not win a medal,” the IOC said in a statement as quoted by CNN Sport.
Despite the IBA’s legal threats and ongoing controversy, Imane Khelif remains resolute in defending her right to compete, vowing to fight for justice both in and out of the ring while rejecting the IBA’s claims as baseless and politically driven.
