TIARET, Algeria - Amar Khelif, the father of Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer embroiled in an Olympic gender eligibility debate, expressed pride in his daughter and condemned the attacks against her as immoral.
Despite failing a gender eligibility test at the International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championships last year, Khelif was permitted to compete at the Paris Olympics by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Her swift victory over Italian boxer Angela Carini reignited discussions about gender differences in sports.
Khelif is set to compete against Hungary's Anna Luca Hamori in the women's welterweight quarter-finals later today.
In an interview at his home in Tiaret, Amar Khelif emphasized his pride and support for his daughter. "Having such a daughter is an honor because she is a champion," he said. "Imane is a little girl that has loved sport since she was six years old."
He shared a document showing her birthdate as May 2, 1999, and her gender as female. "This document doesn't lie," he asserted.
Khelif's participation sparked debate due to IBA rules that exclude athletes with XY chromosomes from women's events. She was disqualified from a gold-medal bout in New Delhi last year. However, after the IOC stripped the IBA of its governing status, it assumed responsibility for boxing at the Paris Games. The IOC advocates for inclusion, barring athletes from women's competition only if fairness or safety issues are evident.
In Tiaret's boxing club, young female boxers, inspired by Khelif, defended her. Bouchra Rebihi, a 17-year-old aspiring professional boxer, criticized Khelif's detractors. "These critics aim to destabilize her, but she is a champion and will remain a champion," Rebihi stated.
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