The Algerian Olympic boxer, Imane Khelif, has broken her silence after she faced false accusations over her gender following her first fight against Italy’s Angela Carini in the Paris Olympics.
The Italian boxer withdrew just 46 seconds after the start of the match and did not shake Khelif’s hand after the decision was announced. She could be seen in the ring saying “Non è giusto” — “It’s not fair” in Italian.
In a statement afterwards, the Italian boxer said she quit because of severe pain in her nose after the opening punches.
The incident stirred up international backlash, and Khelif’s eligibility to participate was brought into question.
However, the Algerian welterweight Imane Khelif won the bronze medal
Algerian welterweight Imane Khelif, backed by a sizable cheering section, beat Hungarian Anna Luca Hamori in a unanimous decision on Saturday, clinching an Olympic medal.
Her victory came just hours after International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach defended its decision to allow her and fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting to compete, saying concerns over their gender identity are “totally unacceptable.”
With Khelif’s latest win, she is guaranteed at least a bronze medal.
“I dedicate this medal to the world, and to all the Arabs and I tell you, ‘Long live Algeria!’” she told reporters in a wild scrum after the match.
Khelif appeared to fight back tears and had an Algerian flag wrapping around her back as she spoke.
“I want to tell the entire world that I am a female, and I will remain a female,” she said.
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