The International Olympic Committee shared that 2024 Paris boxer gold medalist winner Imane Khelif is taking legal action against the media publication whom notified the public about her chromosome.
According to the jerseyeveningpost.com, one of the media publication in France revealed that Khelif has XY (male) chromosomes.
The boxer won gold in the women’s welterweight event at this summer’s Games in Paris and this happened after the International Boxing Association said the Algerian had been disqualified from last year’s World Championships for failing gender eligibility criteria.
During her first fight against Italian resident Angela Carini, she was also accused by her opponent who claimed that the punch she received from Khelif was like a punch from male gender. Carini said “had never felt a punch like this.”
Khelif filed a legal complaint with the French authorities over the online abuse and harassment she was subjected to during the Games and the IOC said on Wednesday she was now also taking action over new reports which emerged in France earlier this week.
Spokesperson said “We understand that Imane Khelif has taken legal action against individuals who commented on her situation during the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and is also preparing a lawsuit in response to the latest reporting.
“The IOC will not comment while legal action is ongoing, or on media reports about unverified documents whose origin cannot be confirmed.”
Khelif has been participating in women’s boxering over the past years and even in Tokyo Olympics as well as IBA-sanctioned events.
The IOC also released a statement regarding the matter of Khelif that clarifies that all participant who where part of Paris 2024 Olympic, complied with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations.
IOC wrote “All the athletes who participated in the boxing tournament at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 complied with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, together with all the applicable medical regulations enacted by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU).
“As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes were based on their passport details.”
After winning her gold medal Khelif addressed the media that she is qualified to participate within women’s boxing.
She said “I am fully qualified to take part in this competition, I am a woman. I was born a woman, I’ve lived as a woman and I’ve competed as a woman. There’s no doubt that there are enemies of success and that gives my success a special taste because of these attacks.”
BY LUCKY SEANEGO
