‘Women have been targeted’: Those close to Imane Khelif defend her after false gender row

Over the last week, the Paris Olympics has been plagued by a row of people falsely calling boxer Imane Khelif a man, and claiming it as “unfair” that she competes in her sport. Now, a number of people closest to her, and the Olympics, have spoken out in her defence.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has been called a man in backlash on social media, despite the fact she was born female. Numerous high profile names, such as JK Rowling and Elon Musk, joined the barrage of people posting online, wrongly spreading misinformation about Khelif’s gender.

Khelif is through to the women’s 66kg final after beating Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng in the semi-finals on Tuesday. 25-year-old Khelif is now guaranteed Algeria’s first boxing medal since 2000 and the country’s first in women’s boxing.

Since her first fight, the Olympics has posted a statement, as have opponents who have faced Khelif, and her father posted a poignant message about his daughter and her success at the Games.

‘I raised her to be hard-working and brave’

🗣️ 'My child is a girl.'

Omar Khelif is defending his daughter, Imane Khelif, against claims that she is a man and insists the Olympic boxer was born and raised as a girl.

More on this story: https://t.co/fRAsw4BIIz pic.twitter.com/ZBEoVwNSXq

— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 3, 2024

Imane Khelif’s father defended his daughter after everything happened, and told Sky News: “My child is a girl. She was raised as a girl. She’s a strong girl. I raised her to be hard-working and brave. She has a strong will to work and to train. The Italian opponent she faced was unable to defeat my daughter because my daughter was stronger and she was softer.”

‘We want people to have the right to compete fairly and without harassment’

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International Olympics Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams called for a stop to the spread of misinformation across social media, that has resulted in online abuse. “We feel these women have been targeted, particularly on social media, they’ve been subject to death threats, we feel strongly about that to remind people this is absolutely not a transgender issue,” Adams told Sky Sports News.

“These women were born as girls, they were registered as female, they have female passports, they have competed for the past six or seven years in senior competitions, they’ve won bouts and lost bouts as women.

“For us it’s important we give them support, particularly at the moment, if anybody would put themselves in the position of those two athletes who are being ridiculed and attacked with death threats, simply because of a test which came from a discredited federation which wanted to change the results of a bout, this is not acceptable.

“This is why we get angry. Of course we want fair bouts, but we also want people to have the right to compete fairly and without harassment.”

via Blondet Eliot/ABACA/Shutterstock

The IOC and Paris Olympics 2024 boxing unit posted an initial statement saying information online was ‘misleading’

When the backlash online first started, the IOC posted a lengthy statement in an attempt to stop the spread of incorrect reports about Imane Khelif.

“Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination,” it began. “All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU). As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport.

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

“These two athletes were the 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 as per the Olympic Charter, the IOC Code of Ethics and the IOC Strategic Framework on Human Rights. The IOC is saddened by the abuse that the two athletes are currently receiving.”

Angela Carini said she wanted to apologise to Imane Khelif

via YAHYA ARHAB/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Imane Khelif’s opponent, who she beat after just 46 seconds in their Olympic match last week, has said she wants to apologise to her over the controversy, and refusing to shake her hand after their match.

Angela Carini told AP: “All this controversy makes me sad. I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.”

As for why she didn’t shake her opponent’s hand, she explained: “It wasn’t something I intended to do. Actually, I want to apologise to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke. I don’t have anything against Khelif. Actually, if I were to meet her again I would embrace her.”

Imane Khelif has now spoken out herself and said the level of bullying she has received ‘can destroy people’

Imane Khelif has now spoken out herself, about the amount of bullying she has received online. In an interview with SNTV, she said: “I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects.

“It can destroy people, it can kill people’s thoughts, spirit and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying.”

She continued: “I know that the Olympic Committee has done me justice, and I am happy with this remedy because it shows the truth. I don’t care about anyone’s opinion. I came here for a medal, and to compete for a medal. I will certainly be competing to improve (and) be better, and God willing, I will improve, like every other athlete.”

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• ‘It can destroy people’: Imane Khelif emotionally asks for bullying towards her to end

• ‘I want to apologise to her’: Angela Carini is saddened by backlash towards Imane Khelif

• Simone Biles net worth: The insane amount she’s worth from her gymnastics success

Featured image via YAHYA ARHAB/EPA-EFE, Blondet Eliot/ABACA/Shutterstock and Sky News.