“This girl has loved sports since she was 6 years old” Imane Khalif's father breaks silence amid Olympic gender controversy

The father of Algerian boxer Imane Khelife says the attacks launched against his daughter are “immoral”.

Khelife made headlines around the world after her opponent Angela Carini pulled out after just 46 seconds of fighting at the Olympic Games.

Khelife, 25, was one of two athletes kicked out of last year's world championships in New Delhi for not meeting gender eligibility criteria.

Now her father Amar Khelife has hit out at the criticism and said the controversy is part of “a ploy” to prevent his daughter from winning a medal at the Olympics.

Speaking on Friday, August 2, he said: “The attacks against her are immoral, they are not fair.

“Imane is a girl who has loved sports since she was six years old, she used to play soccer.

“These criticisms and rumors are aimed at destabilizing Imane, they don't want her to be the world champion.

“I tell her to prove them wrong in the ring and I hope she will honor Algeria and the Arab countries and win the gold medal.

“She is our role model and we want to be like her and honor Algeria and Tiaret.”

He went on to show an official document dated May 2, 1999, which states that Khelife Imane was born a woman.

Meanwhile, Algeria reacted to a photo of Angela Carini crying after her fight with Khelife.

“Cry more,” wrote Algeria FC on X.

Khelife's father's comments came as a human rights chief condemned boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympics as an “absurd and dangerous spectacle” before a second female boxer who had failed a gender test prepared to fight on Friday.

Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting defeated Uzbekistan's Sitora Turdibekova in the 57kg category on Friday afternoon, August 2.

The fights have been condemned by charity Sex Matters, while there has also been criticism from Harry Potter author JK Rowling and former two-time Olympic gold medallist boxer Nicola Adams.

Khelife's triumph on Thursday, August 1, was marred by controversy, with her Italian opponent giving up in tears after just 46 seconds and telling her corner: “It's not fair.”

Sex Matters' campaigns director Fiona McAnena said the International Olympic Committee, which oversees the Games, should be “ashamed”.

She said: “It is extremely unfair that, at the height of her sporting career, Italian boxer Angela Carini has to give in for her own safety.

“The look of pure pain and devastation on her face at that moment should be enough to put an end once and for all to the absurd and dangerous spectacle of men in women's sport.

“People are rightly outraged and the IOC should be ashamed, but they seem to have no shame as this is their policy in action.

“The male advantage used against women makes almost all sports unfair and some sports unsafe, including boxing. This still happens in many sports around the world.”

Elon Musk, owner of social media platform X, supported efforts to make a campaign in support of Carini trend.

American swimmer Riley Gaines, who has campaigned for women's rights in her sport, wrote on the platform: “Men don't belong in women's sports. #IStandWithAngelaCarini Let's make this trend.”

Both Khelif and Lin were disqualified from the 2023 World Championships after failing to meet the International Boxing Association's eligibility rules, which bar athletes with male XY chromosomes from competing in women's events.

But the IBA was stripped of its recognition by the IOC last year over governance and financial issues, with the Olympic body organising the boxing competition in Paris.

The IOC said in a statement yesterday: “These two athletes were victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA.”

“Towards the end of the 2023 IBA World Championships, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process.

“According to the IBA minutes available on its website, this decision was initially taken solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO.”

Some sports have limited the testosterone levels allowed for athletes competing in female competitions, while others ban anyone who has gone through male puberty.

Differences in sexual disorders are a group of rare conditions involving genes, hormones, and reproductive organs.

The governing body added: “The IOC is saddened by the abuse the two athletes are currently suffering. Every person has the right to play sport without discrimination.”

But in its own statement, the IBA condemned “inconsistencies in eligibility” at the Paris Games, adding: “Both Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, following testing, did not meet the eligibility criteria required to compete in the women's category of our respective events.

“The urgent nature of the decision (to disqualify the boxers) was justified as the safety of our boxers is our highest priority.”

In a newly unearthed interview filmed ahead of the Games, Khelif spoke about her recovery from being banned for high testosterone levels and declared: “I wanted to show the whole world what a brave woman Imane Khelif is.”

Khelif's participation in the event was a source of controversy after she was disqualified from last year's Women's World Boxing Championships.

The Olympics website noted that Khelif was disqualified hours before a gold medal match against China's Yang Liu in New Delhi after her elevated testosterone levels did not meet eligibility criteria.

The Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) responded by claiming the disqualification was part of a “conspiracy” to prevent them from winning a gold medal and said “medical reasons” were behind the high testosterone levels.

After the end of the one-sided fight in the 66kg category, Carini, also 25, said he withdrew from the fight to “protect my life”.

She added: “I couldn't go on. My nose hurt so bad and I said, 'Stop.' It's best to avoid going on. My nose started running from the first drag.

“It could have been the fight of my life, but at that moment, I had to protect my life as well. I felt that doing this, I had no fear at all, I'm not afraid of the ring or of getting hit.

“I fought a lot in the national team. I train with my brother. I always fought against men, but today I felt a lot of pain.”

After the fight was stopped, the referee raised Khelif's hand in the air. But a visibly furious Carini yanked her own hand away from the fight official and walked away.

Angela Carini apologized for not shaking Khelife's hand.

Source: www.lindaikejisblog.com