IMANE KHELIF, one of the most talked about athletes of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, has called for the bullying to end amidst a row over her eligibility to compete.
The 25-year-old Algerian faces Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng in the women’s welterweight semi-finals tomorrow (August 6). Khelif’s qualification for the last four has already guaranteed her at least a bronze medal for her country and now stands just one win away from competing in the gold medal bout. The second semi-final features Taipei’s Nien Chin Chen up against China’s Liu Yang.
However, the competition has been overshadowed after it was revealed Khelif – and Taiwanese featherweight Lin Yu-Ting – had been disqualified from last year’s World Championships having failed gender eligibility tests.
The International Olympic Committee recognise Khelif as a female athlete but have faced criticism for allowing her to compete after failing to meet gender eligibility criteria in the 2023 World Championships.
Khelif – who was born female – has beaten Italy’s Angela Carini and Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori to take her place in the welterweight semi-finals. But speaking in an interview with SNTV she queried why the backlash to her participating is happening now.
“This is the question I am asking myself. I don’t care. What’s important is that I came here with a focus on my goal, which is the Olympics. I am in the semi-finals. God willing, I will be up to the challenge in the semi-finals. And God willing, I will be able to keep it under control and pass these two stages and the semi-finals.”
She added: “I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles, according to the Olympic Charter to refrain from bullying all athletes because this thing has effects, massive effects. It can destroy people. It can kill people’s thoughts, spirit, and mind. And it can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying.”
Khelif revealed she is contact with her worried family two days a week. But in the face of any adversity or criticism fighters can do their talking in the ring.
“God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal and that would be the best response,” she said.