An Australian boxer who defeated the fighter at the centre of the Olympic ‘gender test’ row says her opponent wasn’t even that strong.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s participation in the women’s welterweight class in Paris caused a storm of controversy after it emerged that she had failed the International Boxing Association’s gender test.
Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting – who also failed the test – have both reached the finals in their respective weight classes. The Algerian will fight for gold on Friday night.
Aussie Anja Stridsman defeated Khelif in 2019.
“I remember fighting her. She wasn’t particularly strong. Maybe a little angry, but people come into this sport for different reasons,” the 2018 Commonwealth Games winner said.
‘I remember people saying to me, “She must be a man” and “Good job hitting a man” and that made me angry. Of course it’s easy to believe she’s a man, she presents herself as masculine, but who are we to judge her. Let her look the way she wants.
“I won the fight. Her power was no worse than any other woman in the division.”
Stridsman said it was time for a conversation about “trans athletes in competitive sports,” but urged people to be kind to Khelif.
“Don’t judge until you have all the information,” she said.
Stridsman said it was time for a conversation about ‘trans athletes in competitive sports’ but urged people to be kind to Khelif
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s participation in the women’s welterweight class in Paris caused a storm of controversy
Both Khelif and Lin Yu-ting were disqualified from last year’s Women’s World Championships for failing to meet the gender test, but the Games’ organizers allowed them to compete in France.
They are now competing for the gold medal in welterweight and featherweight respectively.
The debate over Khelif reached a fever pitch when she defeated her Italian opponent Angela Carini.
Carini withdrew from the fight after just 46 seconds of a heavy blow, saying afterwards that she had ‘never been hit so hard in my life’.
Khelif said she didn’t care about the controversy surrounding her participation in the women’s 66kg boxing class
However, Carini later said she wanted to “apologize” to Khelif, with whom she did not shake hands after the fight.
After her semi-final victory, Khelif said she was not bothered by the controversy surrounding her participation in the women’s 66kg boxing class.
After avoiding the massive media attention following her previous outbursts, Khelif broke her silence and said, “I don’t care what people say about me because of the controversy.
“The only thing that matters to me is to stay at the same level and give my people the performance they deserve. I know I am a talented person and this is a gift for all Algerians.”