Ethan Sears
Imane Khelif will fight for gold.
The Algerian boxer, whose eligibility has been called into question, advanced to the gold medal round of the women’s 66 kg welterweight division at the Paris Games, defeating Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng by unanimous decision, 5-0.
Khelif won all three rounds, dictating the pace throughout the three-round bout.
While there was no moment at which Khelif appeared close to a knockout, even the most untrained eye could tell she was in control throughout, fighting with precision and landing punches more frequently than Suwannapheng.
The crowd at Roland Garros largely appeared to be backing Khelif, with Algerian flags and chants evident on the broadcast.
Khelif’s eligibility to fight became a lightning-rod issue after Italian Angela Carini — her opponent in an earlier fight — forfeited after 46 seconds, saying she had never taken punches like the Algerian’s.
Algeria’s Imane Khelif (r.) fights Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng (l.) in the 66kg boxing semifinals at the Olympics on Aug. 6, 2024. AP
Though Carini is listed as female on her passport and comes from a country, Algeria, that is not remotely accepting of transgenderism, she failed a gender test given by the IBA in 2023.
There were, however, questionable circumstances around that test.
The IBA split with the IOC years ago, and has been criticized for its Russian connections. It’s not clear under what criteria made for a failed test, — which came after Khelif beat a Russian opponent — was administered.
In an interview with SNTV on Sunday, Khelif spoke in Arabic about the backlash she’s faced, while declining to answer whether she had undergone tests aside from doping tests.
“I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects,” Khelif said, as translated by the Associated Press. “It can destroy people, it can kill people’s thoughts, spirit and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying.”
Khelif burst into tears upon clinching at least a bronze medal with her win over Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori, telling reporters that she is female.
Imane Khelif before her Olympic semifinal match on Aug. 6, 2024. REUTERS
Since Olympic boxing does not have third-place bouts, both Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting — another female boxer who failed the IBA’s gender test — were guaranteed medals before today’s semifinals.
The final will be contested on Friday afternoon.
