Imane Khelif Responds to Controversy Over Olympic Gold Medal

Paris, France – Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif has spoken out regarding recent measures aimed at protecting female athletes amidst ongoing controversy over her gold medal win. Khelif, 26, earned her title in the women’s 66kg division at the 2024 Olympics but has faced challenges surrounding past eligibility issues.

Last summer, Khelif became a national hero in Algeria after her Olympic victory, which has since been overshadowed by her exclusion from the 2023 World Championships for allegedly failing gender eligibility tests. Although Khelif was assigned female at birth, questions about her hormone levels have arisen, leading to calls for her to be stripped of her medal.

International Boxing Association President has demanded Khelif return her medal, but Kirsty Coventry, the newly elected president of the International Olympic Committee, confirmed that Khelif will retain her title and that there will be no retrospective actions concerning her Olympics win.

Khelif posted a defiant message on Instagram, stating, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts,” alongside a selfie. She also shared lyrics from Sia‘s song “I’m Still Here,” which resonate with themes of resilience.

During her address, President Coventry emphasized the need for safeguarding women’s sports, announcing a working group to address fairness in female categories while confirming a ban on transgender athletes and individuals with differences in sexual development in women’s competitions. “There was overwhelming support that we should protect the female category,” Coventry remarked.

While Khelif currently retains her title, World Boxing has introduced mandatory testing for female category eligibility, a development that may affect her ability to compete in future events. Despite the uncertainty, Khelif remains hopeful and committed to her career as the conversation intensifies about fairness in women’s sports as the next Olympic cycle approaches.