Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif reveals a new feminine look, addressing the ongoing gender controversy.
Imane Khelif, an Olympic champion boxer from Algeria, recently revealed a more feminine appearance amid ongoing gender controversy.
Khelif, who has faced scrutiny over her gender eligibility in sports, showcased her new look as a way to address the public’s concerns.
The Algerian boxer’s participation in the women’s boxing event at the Olympics was the subject of intense debate, particularly after she failed gender tests at a previous championship.
Despite the controversy, Khelif fought through the noise to emerge victorious in the 66kg weight class at the Paris Games.
Olympic champion boxer Imane Khelif reveals new feminine appearance amid gender controversy
In a video shared on social media, the 27-year-old can be seen proudly displaying her gold medal, flashing a bright smile.
The clip then transitions to show Khelif’s striking new look.
In the video, she wears a floral outfit, accessorizes with pink hoop earrings, and applies subtle makeup.
Before the Olympics, questions arose regarding the gold medalist’s gender identity.
In the aftermath of her gold medal victory, Khelif has now chosen to embrace a more feminine aesthetic, showcasing her glamorous new look on social media.
In 2023, Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting were disqualified from the World Championship after reportedly failing a gender eligibility test.
However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) took a different stance, allowing both athletes to compete in Paris.
IOC President Thomas Bach defended the decision, stating:
“This is a question of justice: women must be allowed to take part in women’s competitions. And the two are women.”
Khelif herself echoed this sentiment, asserting, “I am fully qualified to take part in this competition. I am a woman like any other woman.”
Ioannis Filippatos, former chairman of the IBA’s medical committee, revealed that “abnormalities” were detected in blood tests of two female boxers in 2022.
The laboratory results showed that the athletes had a “male” karyotype, or chromosomal makeup.
IBA’s British chief executive, Chris Roberts, questioned why the IOC had not acted on this information, stating that they relied solely on the athletes’ passports.
Roberts acknowledged that there was no independent witness during the testing, but the laboratories that handled the results were independent.
High-file figures mocked Olympic champion boxer Imane Khelif
However, Khelif’s inclusion in the women’s event drew criticism from various figures, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
The entrepreneur Musk, along with author J.K. Rowling, was named in a lawsuit filed by Khelif after her Olympic triumph, alleging cyberbullying.
Former US president Donald Trump called Khelif a “man,” which affected her. She admitted that the comments and surrounding “noise” had impacted her.
‘Who wants men to participate in women’s sports? I would like to congratulate the young woman who has evolved from a man to a woman. He… She won gold,’ Trump said.
Khelif is not transgender and was born female. However, it has been claimed that she has male XY chromosomes after taking a test last year under the IBA.
Imane Khelif spoke out about the cyberbullying case
Recently, Olympic champion boxer Imane Khelif spoke out for the first time after suing Elon Musk and JK Rowling.
In an interview, Khelif admitted that the gender controversy surrounding her was very scary.
‘Immediately after there was a lot of noise from politicians, athletes, stars, artists — Elon Musk and Donald Trump and that hurt me a lot.
“I cannot describe how scared I was,” the 25-year-old Khelif said.
‘This affected me. I’m not lying to you, it affected me a lot. It hurt a lot. I can’t describe the fear I had but thank God I was able to overcome it.
Thank god, all the people of Algeria and the Arab world knew Imane Khelif with her femininity, her courage, her will.’