Algerian boxer at centre of gender row Imane Khelif wins Olympic gold medal

Algeria's Imane Khelif (left) celebrates victory over China's Liu Yang Credit: PA

Algerian Imane Khelif, one of two boxers at the centre of a gender eligibility row, has won gold at the Olympics in Paris.

To tumbling chants of “Imane, Imane”, the 25-year-old welterweight scored a unanimous decision over China’s reigning world champion Liu Yang, at Roland Garros late on Friday night.

The boxer dominated their three-round bout before being carried on a lap of honour around the arena by her jubilant cornermen.

Khelif’s victory completed a remarkable nine days since she won her first-round bout over Italy’s Angela Carini in just 46 seconds, sparking a global outcry which can only be expected to escalate in the wake of her comprehensive win.

Khelif and Chinese Taipei boxer Lin Yu-ting were both cleared to compete by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), despite being banned by the International Boxing Association (IBA) in 2023 for allegedly failing to meet gender eligibility criteria.

At a chaotic press conference staged by the discredited governing body in Paris last week, the IBA failed to provide any concrete evidence of the testing process or results.

The IBA has been barred from involvement in each of the last two Olympic boxing tournaments by the IOC over financial and corruption concerns and its president Umar Kremlev has repeatedly railed against the governance of IOC president Thomas Bach.

Kremlev, or the IBA, have variously alleged the presence of XY chromosomes or elevated testosterone levels in tests supposedly submitted by Khelif and Lin, but the presented evidence has often been contradictory and is as yet unsubstantiated.

Liu, who won the 2023 world title in Khelif’s belated absence, was clearly second best in the opening exchanges but rallied in the second, catching her opponent with some sharp counter shots, only to once again lose the round and with it, effectively, the contest.

Lin is scheduled to contest the women’s 57kg final against Poland’s Julia Szeremeta on Saturday.

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