Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif warns future accusers of legal action

Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif said Saturday she expects more campaigns against her and promised to launch legal action to confront them, AFP reports. The Algerian boxer faced a torrent of controversy and harassment during the Paris Olympics, including allegations she was transgender. Despite the furore which followed her first-round victory over Angela Carini, she won the women’s welterweight competition by defeating China’s Yang Liu.

Speaking at the Doha Forum over the weekend, Khelif asserted “I am a woman. I was born a woman and competed as one,”. She also shared her struggles growing up in a conservative Algerian village where boxing was seen as unsuitable for women. Her determination overcame societal barriers, earning her a spot on the national team. 

Khelif has filed legal complaints with French authorities over her leaked medical records and online abuse. The controversy was first sparked by the International Boxing Association which had previously disqualified her for failing gender elegibility criteria.