IN a remarkably unexpected twist, where politics invaded world sport, Imane Khelif accidentally became one of the stories of the 2024 Olympic Games. A strong Algerian athlete, focused on doing her best to represent her country by winning a medal; a combination of fact, fiction and plenty of hyperbole pushed the boxer into a maelstrom of unwanted attention over the summer.
Even though the heat has since died down, malicious posts on social media have recently surfaced, claiming that the IOC has stripped Khelif of her medal and the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) banned her from future competition. The posts gathered sufficient traction, prompting a Reuters fact check and an official statement from the WBO addressing the rumours.
“The report claiming that the WBO had banned Khelif are obviously false. We have had no communication with Khelif. We congratulate her and wish her luck in all her future endeavours,” said WBO legal counsel Gustavo Olivieri, Esq.
“Any report stating otherwise is obviously fake and ill intentioned”.
Despite the furore, Khelif went on to win gold at the Paris Olympics in the welterweight class. At one stage, an opponent climbed out of the ring, claiming she had never been punched as hard before. This added fuel to claims at the time that Khelif had failed a chromosome test and was effectively a male athlete.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) also commented on the latest situation, stating, “There is absolutely no truth in these claims.”