Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is at the center of a gender eligibility controversy, which intensified after her win over Italian fighter Angela Carini at the Paris Olympics on August 1. Earlier, Imane Khelif was also disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing an unspecified gender eligibility test, and her presence at the Paris Olympics has become a divisive issue. Here’s how the world is reacting to the Algerian boxer gender controversy:
The world-famous author, the creator of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling, too, presented her opinion on the matter. According to her, the controversy over the legacy of Paris 2024 has been “tarnished” by “the brutal injustice done to Carini”
Who is Imane Khelif?
Khelif started boxing at 19 and was placed 17th in the 2018 World Championships. In 2019, she finished 19th at the Women’s World Boxing Championships. At the 2020 Olympics, she reached the quarterfinals but lost to Kellie Harrington. In 2022, Khelif came in second at the Women’s World Boxing Championships, losing to Amy Broadhurst. She won gold in the 2022 African Championships, the Mediterranean Games, and the 2023 Arab Games.
