Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who was at the center of a gender dispute during the Paris 2024 Olympics, will turn professional.
Khelif won gold in the women’s welterweight event in Paris this summer, but her participation in the games had been a source of contention.
This came after the International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified her from the Women’s World Boxing Championships in 2023 regarding gender eligibility rules, claiming she failed a gender eligibility test.
However, Khelif insisted that she was a woman and her father even produced her birth certificate which said she was born a woman.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) repeatedly defended its right to compete during the games, while the test results and credibility of the IBA were also questioned.
Imane Khelif, who was at the center of a gender dispute at the Olympics, will turn professional
Algerian boxer Khelif won gold in Paris in the women’s welterweight event this summer.
Her participation in the games had been a source of controversy, amid a ‘gender eligibility dispute’.
The Russian-led body, which labeled Khelif a “biological male”, had been stripped of its rule by the IOC, claiming that the IBA had alleged close ties to the Kremlin.
In fact, the IBA has been suspended by the IOC since 2019 due to concerns over its finances, governance, ethics, refereeing and judging.
But despite the furore surrounding her Olympic success, Khelif is now ready to take the next step in her blossoming career by turning professional.
Speaking on Sunday, she said: “I would like to hold a press conference today to share with you my success story with the media family and the young women watching me.”
‘A documentary about my success story is being prepared and will be shown on international platforms.
‘I will soon enter the world of professional boxing, I have many offers.
‘Currently, I have not decided where I will enter professional boxing.
“But very soon I will take this step; we, as Algerians, would like to see our level in the field of professionalism.”
In August, renowned boxing promoter Eddie Hearn had revealed that he would be willing to promote Khelif.
In response to a question about whether he would consider hiring the boxer, Hearn told IFL TV: “Yes, if the facts were laid out and I was in a position where there is no reason why this individual should not compete as a woman.”
‘Yes, I would, commercially. First, she is a talented fighter. Two, commercially I think he has up to two million followers on Instagram, compared to 30,000, so the answer is yes.
‘But there are probably facts that we don’t know to be true around this situation.
Khelif insisted she was a woman and her father even produced her birth certificate.
Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn revealed in August that he would be open to promoting Khelif.
“But if a fighter was considered, you know, a woman with no physical advantages, but again we hear about X/Y chromosomes, and I haven’t seen anything, I’ve just seen someone say, ‘We’ve done this test.'”
‘Can we see it? Or are we just going to believe that narrative? I would never dare say, “I’m not going to get involved in this conversation. It’s a topical conversation.”
The fallout surrounding Khelif’s participation in the Olympics, along with that of fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting, sparked angry protests from author JK Rowling and Elon Musk on social media, while Donald Trump also protested. mocked the Algerian fighter.
Nabil Boudi, Khelif’s Paris-based lawyer, later revealed that they opened a lawsuit that was filed with French authorities over comments made about her gender online.
No one has been named as a defendant in the lawsuit, but several well-known celebrities have been referenced for their social media posts.
The 25-year-old Olympic champion revealed at the time that she was “very hurt” by the intense scrutiny of her gender and questioned the intentions of those she believes have harassed her.
“But immediately afterward there was a huge uproar from big politicians around the world, athletes around the world and even artists and stars, Elon Musk, Trump… this… that affected me,” he said. to El Birad.
‘I’m not lying to you, it affected me. It affected me a lot, it hurt me a lot. I can’t describe to you the amount of fear I was.
Khelif previously spoke about the major impact of the intense scrutiny on her gender.
Khelif’s success was widely celebrated in Algeria, and he even met with the country’s president.
‘The scene was very scary. Thank God, all the people of Algeria and the Arab world knew Imane Khelif with her femininity, her courage, her will,” he added.
‘Honestly, I don’t like getting into politics in sports, but they got into politics in sports. Sports and politics are two separate things. “These politicians who oppress me have no right to say that I am transgender.”
Khelif’s success in the women’s 66kg category at the Paris Games was widely celebrated in Algeria, and the boxer was honored to carry her nation’s flag at the closing ceremony, while also meeting Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.