'Algerian Female Boxer with XY Chromosomes "Please Stop the Hate and Harassment"'

Imane Khelif (26), an Algerian athlete who competed in women's boxing at the 2024 Paris Olympics and became embroiled in a gender controversy, has called on the international community to stop hateful remarks and harassment against her.

2024 Paris Olympics (Photo by Yonhap News)

According to Yonhap News and major foreign media on the 4th (local time), Khelif said in an interview with a media outlet, "Harassment has a huge impact. It can destroy a person and kill their thoughts, spirit, and heart," adding, "So I ask people to refrain from harassment." She continued, "I send a message to everyone around the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter and to stop harassing all athletes."

Khelif is one of the figures involved in the gender controversy along with Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting (28) at this tournament. Previously, the International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified both athletes at last year's World Championships, stating that they possessed the 'XY chromosome,' which generally indicates male.

However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled that gender cannot be determined solely by chromosomes and found no issue with their participation in the Olympics.

Nevertheless, on the 1st (local time), during the women's boxing 66kg round of 16 match, Italy's Angela Carini (26), who faced Khelif, declared a forfeit loss just 46 seconds after the match began, sparking intense controversy over the fairness of the competition.

Seemingly aware of this, Khelif said in the interview, "I know the world's attention is on me, but I try to distance myself from external evaluations as much as possible to focus on the match," adding, "At the Olympics, there is a team that manages mental health, so not only me but other athletes are also managed to avoid frequent use of social media." She further said, "I hope this crisis ends with a gold medal."

On the 3rd, Khelif showed overwhelming performance by defeating Hungary's Enner Lucher Hermori 5-0 in the 66kg quarterfinals, securing at least a bronze medal. She is scheduled to compete in the semifinals on the 7th.