A controversal gold medal for the Algerian boxer Imane Khelif
Being hated by a large number of people or being neglected can often be a catalyst for great sports performances.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, whose presence in women's boxing is highly controversial in the sports world, clinched the gold medal after an exhilarating final.
The pugilist secured a unanimous decision victory against Chinese representative Yang Liu, which allowed her to become the Olympic champion in the women's under 66-kilogram category.
Despite repeated attacks from the International Boxing Association (IBA), Imane Khelif remained unfazed. The Algerian athlete could have easily been distracted by the media circus surrounding her presence at the Olympic Games, especially since she had been excluded from the World Championships in 2023. She had failed the famous femininity tests managed by the international federation in charge of amateur boxing.
However, she is not alone in this story, as Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting also qualified for the Olympic final in the under 57-kilogram category. It remains to be seen if she will achieve the same success as the Algerian in her final on Saturday.
Should the Taiwanese boxer win, suspicions will surely take on a new dimension. The fact that both athletes, who were excluded in 2023, go on to win gold in their respective categories after making headlines... let's just say that the issue of femininity and genetic tests will be the next hot topic for the new World Boxing federation, an entity expected to represent amateur boxing at the Los Angeles Olympics�if boxing is included.
The International Olympic Committee has hinted that exclusion might be an option due to the various issues that have plagued the sport in recent years. The scandals of cheating, corruption, and financial misconduct that have made headlines have certainly not helped the image of the sport.
The case of the two boxers failing a femininity test does nothing to help the sport's image. There are many suspicions, and let's just say that there are questions among other boxers, coaches, and national federations regarding the situation of Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting. Suffice it to say, it's not helping to calm the situation!
| POLL | ||
Do you think that CIO and IBA have to make a complete inquirer about the gender identity of boxer Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting? | ||
| Yes | 93 | 70.5 % |
| No | 39 | 29.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
