Olympic champion Imane Khelif debuted a new look to show off her hard-earned gold medal in Paris.
Khelif’s participation in the women’s Olympic boxing event was a source of discussion during the Games, particularly after Italian fighter Angela Carini abandoned her fight after just 46 seconds.
Khelif, along with fellow wrestler Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, were disqualified from the 2023 World Championships by the IBA after reportedly failing a gender eligibility test.
However, the Algerian boxer ignored the noise to win gold for her country in Paris and showed off her new precious metal after undergoing a makeover.
In a video posted to Instagram, Khelif can be seen swiping towards the camera, before the screen cuts to a shot of her in a pink floral outfit with matching hoop earrings and pink eyeliner and lip gloss.
Imane Khelif poses for the cameras showing her gold medal from the Paris Olympics
The clip, uploaded to social media, begins with the fighter punching towards the camera and smiling.
Khelif won gold for Algeria in the women’s 66kg boxing competition at the Paris Olympics
He also proudly shows off his medal and smiles at the camera in the short clip uploaded to social media.
While her participation in the competition, strongly defended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was debated during the Games, it came after she had been disqualified from an earlier competition, sparking controversy.
However, while the IBA ruled her and Lin out of the World Championships, the IOC took a different view on the matter.
“It’s a matter of justice: women must be able to compete in women’s competitions. And they are both women,” said President Thomas Bach.
Khelif even defended her own participation, saying: “I am fully qualified to participate in this competition. I am a woman like any other woman.
“I was born a woman, I lived as a woman, I competed as a woman, there is no doubt about that.”
MORE BELOW.
