Imane Khelif Faces Criticism Over Paris 2024 Eligibility

Imane Khelif has faced “baseless” criticisms regarding her eligibility for the Paris Olympics, which Algeria’s Olympic Committee has denounced. Khelif, disqualified from the Women’s World Championships last year for failing a testosterone level test, is one of two athletes cleared to compete in the women’s boxing events at Paris 2024. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that Khelif had failed the test in New Delhi, while Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting lost her bronze medal for failing a gender eligibility test.

Khelif will face Italian boxer Angela Carini in a welterweight bout on Thursday and Lin will compete against Sitora Turdibekova in the featherweight category on Friday. Italy’s family minister Eugenia Roccella, sports minister Andrea Abodi, and some competitors in the women’s boxing division have raised concerns about the eligibility rules. The Algeria Olympic Committee (COA) has strongly condemned the attacks on Khelif, labeling them as unfair and unjustified.

The COA emphasized that these criticisms come while Khelif prepares for a significant moment in her career, asserting that the attacks undermine her dignity and that of the Algerian team. The COA assured that they have taken all necessary measures to protect their athlete. Both Khelif and Lin competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The International Boxing Association (IBA) organized the 2023 World Championships where the disqualifications occurred, but the IOC later stripped the IBA of its status.

The IBA stated that Imane Khelif and Lin did not pass the required eligibility tests, raising concerns about fairness and safety in the sport. The IOC has confirmed that all athletes competing in Paris meet the necessary eligibility criteria.