Jade Gagné

Sports Editor

Photo via IBTIMES

Ever since the 2024 Summer Olympics happened, Imane Khelif has been in the spotlight for all of us. From winning her first Olympic fight only 46 seconds after it started, the boxer is now building a lawsuit for all the cyber harassment she endured while in Paris. This sparked reactions from all over the world. 

On April 1st, 2024, the Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won her first-ever Olympic boxing match against Angela Carini, not even a minute after it started. Just a few punches were sent, but it was enough for Carini to give up and sink to her knees while saying how unfair it was. She left the ring without shaking Imane’s hand.

This reaction brought back Imane Khelif’s old issues from the World Boxing Championship 2023, where she got disqualified by the IBA (International Boxing Association) after the claims that she failed the gender eligibility testing. Imane, born on May 2nd, 1999, in Ain Sidi Ali, Laghoutat, Algeria, is a female. She reportedly had a difference in sexual development, also known as DSD, which means that her reproductive or sexual anatomy doesn’t fit the typical definition of male or female. In Imane’s case, she has an elevated level of testosterone, more than the usual woman, which was enough to disqualify her from the Championship. Following the ban, the president of the IBA, Umar Kremley, stated that this failed result only proved that Imane carried male chromosomes. Therefore she cannot “fit” in the female category.

Nonetheless, the Algerian woman has competed before, she competed in the African and Mediterranean Championship in 2022 where she secured the victory. She also won a silver medal in the World Championship in Istanbul in 2022. 

“Personally, I think that what happened during the Olympics was very disrespectful towards Imane, because we don’t know her life and her story. You cannot confirm someone’s sexual identity and say that she is a man when Imane is a born female. Not only that, but Angela Carini has competed against Imane before. Was the whole thing that she did only for views? Was it all fake? All I know is this situation can bring so many negative impacts on anyone, and that’s not okay.” explained Dassi Koulougli, a young Algerian man.

According to ESPN, the International Boxing Association was banned from the 2024 Olympics due to questions about corruption and judging issues. The IBA has since been replaced by the IOC (International Olympic Committee). During a press conference, an IOC spokesperson said: “The Algerian boxer was born female, was registered female, spent her life as a female, boxed as a female, and has a female passport. This is not a transgender case, […] there has been some confusion that somehow it’s a man fighting a woman, this is just not the case scientifically.”

The Algerian boxer was born female, was registered female, spent her life as a female, boxed as a female, and has a female passport. This is not a transgender case, […] there has been some confusion that somehow it’s a man fighting a woman, this is just not the case scientifically.

International Olympic Committee Spokesperson

Because of Angela Carini’s outburst, other celebrities gave their reactions online, including Elon Musk, Donald Trump, JK Rowling, and even Logan Paul. JK Rowling wrote on X “Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better The smirk of a male who’s knows he’s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head, and whose life’s ambition he’s just shattered,”  while sharing a picture of a crying Carini and Khelif trying to comfort her.

Logan Paul also shared in a since-deleted post on X “This is the purest form of evil unfolding right before our eyes. A man was allowed to beat up a woman on a global stage, crushing her life’s dream while fighting for her deceased father. This delusion must end.” He then retracted his message, apologized for spreading misinformation, and tried to create a better end by explaining how no one should agree on men boxing against women. Paul has only done a few boxing matches in his life, but still feels like he has the right to speak about official professional athletes. 

Following all those comments, French prosecutors opened an investigation into online harassment complaints made by Imane Khelif. Her lawyer, Nabil Boudi, filed a legal complaint with a special unit in the Paris prosecutor’s office that combats online hate speech. Boudi said that Imane was targeted by a “misogynist, racist, and sexist campaign” following her win in the women’s welterweight divisions.

 “I did not watch all the Olympics but I watched her, and I am proud of what she did but I am even prouder that she brought a gold medal to our country,” concluded D. Koulougli.

Imane Khelif is now a gold medalist and a hero for her country, but most importantly she is a woman who proved that she can do it. To everyone who hated her, I hope you like her medal.