Imane Khelif gender eligibility at Olympic Boxing Controversy explained

Imane Khelif gender eligibility

Imane Khelif gender eligibility at Olympic Boxing Controversy explained

The Boxing Controversy and gender eligibility of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif following her first battle with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting has become a topic of discussion for several days.

However, many speculations and false content have spread since the first encounter between Imane and Lin. It led to questions about gender-testing by Olympic authorities as people misidentified Imane and Lin as transgender or Transwoman.

The International Boxing Association is at the center of controversy with claims that two female boxers Imane and Lin appeared unclear and unspecific while failed to pass gender eligibility tests as women.

People from all over the world started questioning the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) transparency. They raised concerns about how the IOC made this unjust decision to allow Imane and Lin to compete in the Paris Olympics 2024.

This came after Imane Khelif and Lin were banned from competing in the 2019 Olympics due to their failure to pass gender eligibility tests.

Following this, renowned personalities including Donald Trump and J.K. Rowling have criticized Imane Khelif. This criticism came in the Imane Khelif vs Angela Carini boxing match on August 1, 2024.

Italian boxer Angela quit this match only after 46 seconds of competition, which was a shocking moment. Soon, she appeared to cry as her nose and face were hurt.

Angela stated she could not breathe as she had never received such a powerful punch. Hence, she did not shake hands with Imane after the competition.

People who were already suspicious of the gender eligibility of Imane Khelif started backlashing her and authorities to allow her to compete in the Olympics.

According to them, it was unjust to permit transwomen with comparatively more physical power against a woman boxer. Hence, they started running hashtags against Imane and expressing their support for Angela.

Following this outrage and widespread controversy, an IOC spokesperson Mark Adams denied speculations. He clarified that Imane and Lin competed in boxing events for many years.

According to Mark, testosterone is not a perfect test (Lin and Imane failed in this test). Several women who compete in the Olympics have such high levels of “testosterone levels” or “male levels.”

He emphasized that Imane came into this world as a female. She is a registered female who lived her life as a female. She has a female passport and used to compete in boxing competitions as a female. He also warned people not to target her.

After the IOC defended the gender eligibility of Imane Khelif in the Olympics, Angela apologized for not shaking hands with Imane. She said she did not do it intentionally.

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Angela clarified that she expressed that way. She was angry because she failed miserably at the Olympics. She has no personal grudges against Imane.

Italian boxer Angela also emphasized that he would embrace her as if they crossed paths again. She supports her opponent and expresses disappointment over the gender controversy.

Angela also apologized to Imane for this controversy. She also emphasized that she respects the decision of the IOC if it states that she is eligible to fight.

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