Imane Khelif Issues Powerful Statement after Gold Medal win
Algerian Boxer Takes High Road, Clobbers Critics Like Her Foes
One of the unfortunate sidebars to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics has been the gender discussion about Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting. The first of the two, Khelif, won a gold medal in her weight class and made a strong statement via social media in Olympic news after the bout. Imane Khelif wins gold despite the controversy surrounding her participation.
Imane Khelif speaks after her victory:
“I was born a girl, I grew up a girl, I studied as a girl and I fought like a girl. Those who attacked me? Of course, they were enemies of glory. But, without them, my victory would not have been so satisfying.” https://t.co/f44FMR6Kjy
— Lella Yasmine • لِلآ يَاسمِين 🍊 (@YasmineJibril) August 10, 2024
Much of the issue stemmed from the 2023 World Championships over a test that the International Boxing Association claims showed she had XY chromosomes. That led to Khelif’s disqualification there. However, Imane Khelif wins gold in Paris, shutting down critics and proving her detractors wrong.
Khelif shut down the critics of her Paris performance
“As for whether I qualify or not, or whether I am a woman or not, I am fully qualified to take part in this competition” Khelif said. “I am a woman like any other woman. I was born a woman. I’ve lived as a woman. I’ve competed as a woman. There is no doubt about that.”
“They are enemies of my success” she said of those who criticized and doubted her gender. “That is what I call them. That also gives my success a special taste because of these attacks.” Imane Khelif wins gold in the face of adversity, and her statements took the high road, not stooping to the level of some who mocked and commented disparagingly about her.
“Now [the IBA is] not recognized anymore, and they hate me” Khelif said. “And I don’t know why. I really don’t know why. I sent them a single message with this gold medal: I say that my dignity, my honor, is above everything else.”
Yu-Ting Captures Gold, Too
The second boxer entangled in the discussion or controversy, Yu-Ting also won a gold medal in her class. This fight took place on Saturday.
This was very difficult to watch. Another male wins gold in women’s boxing at #Paris2024. Unfair, unsafe & wrong. The IOC have celebrated males beating up females for entertainment. Shameful. 👎#XX#SaveWomenSports #IOCPromotesViolenceAgainstWomen https://t.co/MU2kifYW5q
— Mara Yamauchi (@mara_yamauchi) August 10, 2024
She was being celebrated back home.
It’s 3:30 a.m. here in Taiwan, but about two thousand are still awake at New Taipei City Hall, according to the city government, watching the Olympic boxing livestream as Taiwanese athlete Lin Yu-ting goes head-to-head with her Polish rival in the 57kg final for the gold medal pic.twitter.com/wIYH1vVRiF
— Joyu Wang (@joyuwang) August 10, 2024
