Imane Khelif took on Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng in the boxing semi-final at the Paris Olympics
Imane Khelif has Olympic gold in her sights after beating Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng in the semi final of the Paris Games by unanimous decision.
The Algerian boxer, 25, has been at the centre of a gender row which started prior to this year’s Olympics.
Welterweight Khelif, along with Taiwan featherweight Lin Yu-ting Lin, was disqualified by the now-banned IBA during last year’s World Championships for failing to meet the gender eligibility criteria. The two athletes have been cleared to compete in Paris.
However, the row began ramping up when Khelif faced-off against Italy’s Angela Carini in the round of 16 last Thursday (1 August).
Carini said she was forced to abandon the match after just 46 seconds because she had never been hit so hard in her life.
Carini has since admitted that walking off ‘wasn’t something I intended to do’. (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
She said: “It hurt so much. I am heartbroken.
“I went to the ring to honour my father. I was told a lot of times that I was a warrior, but I preferred to stop for my health. I have never felt a punch like this.”
Carini has since stated she wants to apologise for her behaviour.
Meanwhile, Khelif has gone from strength to strength and won her second women’s 66kg match against Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori in the quarter-final on Saturday (3 August).
But amid the backlash online, the boxer said she wants people to ‘refrain from bullying all athletes’ in her first interview since the controversy
In an sit-down chat with SNTV on Sunday (4 August), she said in Arabic: “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.
Algeria’s Imane Khelif took on Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng in the women’s 66kg semi-final. (MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images)
“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.
“I am in contact with my family two days a week. I hope that they weren’t affected deeply.
“They are worried about me. God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal, and that would be the best response.”
The athlete said she was grateful for the International Olympic Committee for letting her compete, which wasn’t the case with the International Boxing Association.
“I know that the Olympic Committee has done me justice, and I am happy with this remedy because it shows the truth,” she added.
“I don’t care about anyone’s opinion.”
Her father has also come to her defence after showing Khelif’s birth certificate on TV.
