Controversial Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is now assured of taking home a bronze medal after defeating Hungarian female Anna Luca Hamori.
Last year, Khelif was banned from fighting as a woman by the International Boxing Association because of the presence of an X and Y chromosome, hallmarks of being male.
Khelif is allowed to fight in the Olympics as a female because the Olympics have different rules. Fighter Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan is also fighting at the Olympics after being banned by the IBA for the same reason as Khelif
Unlike Khelif’s first fight, when Italy’s Angela Carini stopped the fight after 46 seconds citing the power of the punches she received, Hamori went three full rounds, but all five judges gave the fight to Khelif on points.
Khelif is now assured of winning a bronze medal because in boxing, the Olympics awards two bronze medals, according to The New York Times.
🇩🇿Imane Khelif right after winning against Luca:
“I have been boxing for years in the International Boxing Association which has committed INJUSTICE towards me.
But I have Allah with me ☝️ Allahu Akbar” pic.twitter.com/v24qx9fkly
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) August 3, 2024
“I am a woman,” Khelif said after the fight, according to the Telegraph.
According to NBC, Khelif said, “I want to tell the entire world that I am a female, and I will remain a female,” she said.
Are you watching the Olympics?
“I dedicate this medal to the world, and to all the Arabs and I tell you, ‘Long live Algeria!’ ” Khelif said.
Imane Khelif wins again. Yet another female boxer punched in the face by male and cheated out of a medal. The IOC stand by and let this happen pic.twitter.com/ws6zXGc8xU
— FairPlayForWomen (@fairplaywomen) August 3, 2024
Hamori had boasted she wasn’t afraid of Khelif and fueled allegations that the Algerian was not a woman. But at the end of the match, it appeared the combatants exchanged pleasantries with each other and their corners.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach lashed out at critics of allowing fighters with both X and Y chromosomes to battle women, according to ESPN.
“Let’s be very clear here: We are talking about women’s boxing,” Bach said. “We have two boxers who are born as a woman, who have been raised a woman, who have a passport as a woman, and who have competed for many years as women. And this is the clear definition of a woman. There was never any doubt about them being a woman.”
Imane Khelif, fighting again today, beat the female boxer Anna Luca Hamori.
Here is a short clip that shows the difference in punching power between Khelif and a female boxer. pic.twitter.com/ZM2gNsjfgi
— Bill Moon (@BigBillMoon) August 3, 2024
“What we see now is that some want to own the definition of who is a woman,” Bach said.
“And there I can only invite them to come up with a scientific-based new definition of who is a woman, and how can somebody being born, raised, competed and having a passport as a woman cannot be considered a woman?
“If they are coming up with something, we are ready to listen,” Bach said. “We are ready to look into it, but we will not take part in a sometimes politically motivated cultural war.”
The Independent said that a condition called “differences in sex development”, or DSD, covers a wide range of differentiations from the norm.
On Tuesday, Khelif will face Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo Games, according to the Telegraph. Lin has a quarter-final match scheduled for Sunday.
