Olympic boxer Imane Khelif has spoken out against the wave of hateful scrutiny she has faced due to misconceptions about her gender, calling it a violation of human dignity. She urged an end to the bullying of athletes, revealing how deeply affected she has been by the international backlash.
In an interview with SNTV, a sports video partner of The Associated Press, the Algerian athlete discussed her tumultuous experience at the Olympics.
“I send a message to everyone around the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because it has massive effects,” Khelif said in Arabic. “It can destroy people, kill their thoughts, spirit, and mind. It can divide people. Because of this, I ask them to stop bullying.”
Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting’s victories in the ring have become significant stories of the Paris Games. Both women have secured their first Olympic medals while facing online abuse based on unsubstantiated claims about their gender, placing them at the center of a broader debate on gender identity and sports regulations.
The 25-year-old Khelif acknowledged the immense pressure and pain she has endured while competing far from home in the most important event of her athletic career.
“I am in contact with my family two days a week. I hope they haven’t been deeply affected,” she said. “They are worried about me. God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal, which would be the best response.”
The vitriol originates from claims by the International Boxing Association, which has been permanently banned from the Olympics, that both Khelif and Lin failed unspecified eligibility tests for the women’s competition at last year’s world championships.
When asked if she had undergone tests other than doping tests, Khelif declined to answer, stating she didn’t want to discuss it.
She expressed gratitude to the International Olympic Committee and its president, Thomas Bach, for their unwavering support while the banned former governing body of Olympic boxing fueled the controversy surrounding her participation in Paris.
“I know that the Olympic Committee has done me justice, and I am happy with this remedy because it shows the truth,” she said.
