Boxer sparks gender controversy, wins 2024 Olympic gold medal

Hundreds of fans flocked to Roland Garros on August 9, waving Algerian flags. Many had no interest in boxing but showed up to support Khelif, who has been the subject of criticism and controversy over his sexuality since the start of the Games.

Similar to the quarter-final match with Anna Luca Hamori (Hungary) and the semi-final match with Janjaem Suwannapheng (Thailand), the Algerian boxer still dominated, was scored higher in all three final rounds and won 5-0. She became the first female athlete from Algeria to win a medal at an Olympic Games, and that was the gold medal.

"For the past eight years I have been dreaming of this medal and now I am an Olympic champion," Khelif said proudly about her achievement, then thanked the large number of fans who came to the stadium to cheer and support her.

Khelif jumped excitedly in the ring, posing for cameras before hugging her coach. She was carried on her coach's shoulders, walked around the ring to the cheers of fans and took an Algerian flag from someone in the stands to celebrate the historic victory.

Khelif blew kisses and waved to the crowd as she attended the award ceremony and flag salute. With tears in her eyes, the 25-year-old boxer kissed the medal that had just been placed around her neck. The entire stadium sang along with Khelif during the Algerian national anthem. Afterwards, she and the three medalists raised their hands and posed for a souvenir photo.

Khelif had a turbulent Olympics, facing criticism from fans as well as celebrities such as former US President Donald Trump, Harry Potter author JK Rowling and billionaire Elon Musk.

The source of the controversy was when the Algerian boxer was disqualified from the 2023 Women's World Championship final for having high testosterone levels, exceeding the standard. The International Boxing Association (IBA) stepped in, conducted DNA tests and discovered that Khelif had XY chromosomes. The organization said that she "had an advantage over other women".

However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) still allows Khelif to compete at Paris 2024 as a female athlete, by verifying her gender through her passport and medical documents, similar to the methods used at Tokyo 2020 and many other international tournaments.

In an interview last week, Khelif called for a halt to criticism, saying it could “destroy people, kill their thoughts, their spirit, their minds.” She also saw winning an Olympic boxing gold medal as the best way to respond to the pressure of the gender controversy, and she succeeded.

The 25-year-old's journey has inspired many. "A week ago, I knew nothing about boxing," said Belabed, an Algerian native living in Paris, who attended the final. "But I'm here because of what happened to Khelif. I think Khelif has been made a scapegoat in a politicized situation, when she just wanted to play sport."