New Crisis at Paris Olympics: Boxer Accused of Being a “Man” and Strong Algerian Statement

A new crisis has occurred at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, specifically in the women’s boxing competitions, as foreign and Western newspapers accused Algerian boxer Iman Khalif of being a transgender man and competing with women.

This prompted the International Olympic Committee to issue a statement condemning the harassment of Algerian boxers Iman Khalif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting during their participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The International Olympic Committee confirmed the validity of their participation and the poor procedures of the International Boxing Federation, which is currently not recognized, in dealing with the file of their exclusion from the 2023 World Championships.

This came after Iman Khalif qualified for the quarter-finals of the 66 kg boxing competition, after her Italian competitor Angela Carini withdrew after only 46 seconds, and a lot of controversy was raised about the Algerian champion.

Iman Khalif’s participation came after much controversy due to demands to exclude her for not meeting the gender eligibility criteria, after she had been excluded from the 2023 World Championships due to her failure to pass the gender eligibility test.

But the International Olympic Committee gave the green light for Iman Khalif to participate normally, and this is the second participation of boxer Iman Khalif in the Olympics after the Tokyo 2020 version.

“We have seen misleading information in reports about two female athletes competing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, who have previously competed in several world boxing championships over many years in the women’s category, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the AIBA World Championships,” the IOC statement read in part.

The two athletes were victims of a surprise decision by the International Boxing Federation near the end of the 2023 World Championships, and were suddenly excluded without any action.

On the other hand, the Algerian Olympic and Sports Committee issued a statement regarding the fierce attack that boxer Iman Khalif is being subjected to. The Olympic Committee expressed in a statement on its official Facebook page its unlimited support for the Algerian athlete, who is preparing to enter the competition in the Olympic Games taking place in Paris.

“The Algerian Olympic and Sports Committee strongly condemns the unethical behaviour that targeted our distinguished champion Iman Khalif by some foreign media outlets with false propaganda. Such attacks on her person are completely unethical and false, especially as she prepares for the most important event in her sporting career, the Olympic Games. The Algerian Olympic and Sports Committee has taken all necessary measures to protect our champion,” the statement said.