Boxer Imane Khelif, who has sparked much controversy over her sexual identity, secured Algeria’s first medal at the Paris Olympics, after defeating Hungary’s Anna-Luca Hamori on points in the 66kg quarter-finals.
Khalifa (25 years old) has been caught in a whirlwind of accusations that have cast doubt on her eligibility to participate, after she was suspended from the World Championships last year by the International Boxing Federation and allowed to participate in the Games by the International Olympic Committee.
By qualifying for the semi-finals, Khalif has secured at least a bronze medal. She will face the boxer who came in fifth at the Tokyo Summer Olympics 2021, the Thai Janjim Suwannapheng, ranked eighth, who eliminated the Turkish Businas Surmeneli, who won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Khalif’s last-16 bout with Italian Angela Carini, which lasted only 46 seconds after the latter withdrew, and Taiwanese Yu-Ting Lin sparked a heated debate as both were disqualified from last year’s world championships in New Delhi after failing to meet eligibility criteria.
AIBA was expelled from the IOC last year following a bitter dispute over governance, finances and ethics between Bach and the former’s Russian president Umar Kremlev, meaning the IOC is now responsible for organising boxing at the Paris Games.
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