Imane Khelif’s dad shows off her birth certificate on TV amid Olympics 2024 boxing gender row
IMANE KHELIF’S dad has shown off her birth certificate on TV as the Olympics boxing gender row continues.
The Algerian fighter is guaranteed a medal in the women’s 66kg weight class.
However, her inclusion in the event has caused much debate after she was disqualified from last year’s world championships.
The IBA booted Khelif and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-Ting out of the event for allegedly failing gender eligibility tests.
The Russian-backed IBA are said to have determined the pair tested positive for male XY chromosones.
Both boxers have been allowed to compete in Paris by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), though, with the IBA refusing to release details of the test results.
Khelif caused a stir after her opening round opponent Angela Carini of Italy quit just 46 seconds into their bout.
She has since beaten Hungary’s Luca Hamori in the quarter-finals to secure at least a bronze medal in the women’s 66kg event.
Ahead of her semi-final against Thai boxer Janjaem Suwannapheng at Roland Garros on Thursday, Khelif’s dad Omar appeared on French TV.
Omar told BFMTV, via Bild: “My child is a girl. She was raised as a girl. She is a strong girl. I raised her to work hard and be brave. She has a strong will to work and train.”
Discussing Carini’s withdrawal from their bout, Omar added: “The Italian opponent who fought against her was simply not able to beat my daughter. Because my daughter was stronger and she was too weak.”
He also held up Khelif’s birth certificate, explaining: “She is a woman, we have all the evidence, including her birth certificate.”
Olympics gender controversy
THE International Olympic Committee (IOC) stirred up a huge controversy by clearing two women to box who had previously failed a gender test.
Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting were disqualified at the Women’s World Championships in New Delhi, India, in March 2023.
Lin Yu-ting was stripped of a bronze medal after failing a gender eligibility test.
Khelif was disqualified in New Delhi for failing a testosterone level test.
Officials found tests showed they had ‘XY chromosomes’ — which indicates a person is biologically male.
Rare ‘intersex’ medical conditions, medically known as differences in sexual development (DSDs), can also mean outwardly female individuals can have ‘male’ chromosomes, or vice versa.
The Russia-led International Boxing Association organised that event but is no longer recognised by the IOC.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: “These athletes have competed many times before for many years, they haven’t just suddenly arrived – they competed in Tokyo.
“The federation needs to make the rules to make sure that there is fairness but at the same time there is the ability for everyone to take part that wants to. That is a difficult balance.
“In the end the experts for each sport are the people who work in that. If there is a big advantage that clearly is not acceptable, but that needs to be a decision made at that level.”
Both Khelif and Lin competed at the delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. Lin is a two-time winner at the Asian Women Amateur Boxing Championships.
The IOC said all boxers in Paris “comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations”.
The controversy follows the famous case of Caster Semenya.
South African middle-distance runner Semenya has a condition which means her body naturally produces higher levels of testosterone than normal for women.
She won gold in the 800m at London 2012 and Rio in 2016 but was unable to compete at Tokyo in 2021 after World Athletics brought in new rules independently of the IOC at the time.
Omar previously hit out the “immoral and unfair” treatment of his daughter whilst showing pictures of her as a child.
His TV appearance comes after an IBA press conference on Monday.
IBA chief Chris Roberts told reporters to “read between the lines” as he revealed that details of the gender tests will not be released.
Khelif will face either Chen Nien-chin of Chinese Taipei or China’s Yang Liu for the gold medal if she beats Suwannapheng on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Lin takes on Turkish boxer Esra Yildiz on Wednesday for a place in the final.
