Imane Khelif Enters Olympic Boxing Ring Amid Days of Gender Controversy

Khelif meets Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary in the women’s 66-kilogram quarterfinals.

VILLEPINTE, France — Algerian boxer Imane Khelif steps into the ring at the Paris Olympics on Saturday amid swirling controversy and online abuse about her gender, which has sparked a larger debate about identity in sports.

Khelif will face Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori. Despite their boxing association planning to contest the matchup, the fight is set for the women’s 66-kilogram quarterfinals. A victory would earn Khelif the seventh Olympic boxing medal for Algeria and its very first in women’s boxing.

Khelif secured her spot in the quarterfinals by defeating Italy’s Angela Carini, who abandoned the fight after just 46 seconds. This unusual event intensified ongoing debates about gender identity in sports, with figures like former U.S. President Donald Trump and author J.K. Rowling commenting and falsely claiming Khelif is a man or transgender.

The Paris Games have championed inclusion, but some aspects, such as an opening ceremony featuring drag queens, have incited backlash. LGBTQ+ groups warn that hateful comments could endanger their community and female athletes.

IOC President Thomas Bach defended Khelif and Taiwan boxer Lin Yu-ting. Both were disqualified in last year’s world championships by the now-banned International Boxing Association (IBA) due to alleged failed eligibility tests. The IBA has refused to disclose details about these tests, highlighting its opaque dealings.

“We are talking about women’s boxing,” Bach stated. “Both boxers were born, raised, and have competed as women, with passports to prove it. There has never been any doubt about their gender.”

The IBA, banned from Olympic participation in 2019, disqualified Khelif last year citing elevated testosterone levels. The association, led by a close acquaintance of Russian President Vladimir Putin, claims confidentiality regarding the tests.

“Some seek to redefine who is a woman,” Bach continued. “We welcome a scientifically grounded definition but won’t partake in politically motivated cultural wars.”

Khelif is vying for at least a bronze medal in her second Olympic appearance after not medaling in Tokyo 2021. Lin will secure her first Olympic medal on Sunday if she defeats Bulgaria’s Svetlana Staneva, having already bested Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova.

Despite the scrutiny, Khelif and Lin received cheers from the audience at North Paris Arena.

“These social media attacks, aggression, and hate speech are unacceptable,” Bach remarked.

The reduced field at the Paris Olympics — the smallest since 1956 — means boxers can clinch medals with just two victories. Each weight class awards two bronze medals, ensuring that every semifinalist wins a medal.

This year, for the first time, the Olympic boxing event has achieved gender parity, featuring an equal number of male and female athletes.