The match happened in entrance of an enthusiastic crowd at Roland Garros, who passionately chanted Khelif’s title all through the competition.
In a separate weight class, Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, one other boxer concerned within the eligibility controversy, can be assured of successful no less than a bronze medal. Each Khelif, 25, and Lin participated within the Tokyo Olympics three years prior with none controversy and didn’t safe medals at the moment.
The 2 boxers confronted disqualification from the world championships final 12 months after failing to satisfy gender eligibility necessities. Nonetheless, they have been subsequently cleared to take part within the Paris Olympics.
“I’m specializing in the competitors and different issues aren’t vital. The vital factor is that I’m within the remaining now,” Khelif instructed BeIN Sports activities.
“I’m very pleased with this new achievement. I gave every little thing I had. We labored as a crew for years and the dream has turn out to be a actuality. I hope to focus and be as much as the duty within the dream remaining.”
Khelif, the Algerian boxer, obtained a thunderous ovation as she stepped into the sector at Roland Garros, which is usually identified for internet hosting Grand Slam tennis tournaments.
The venue was filled with a substantial variety of Algerian followers waving flags and chanting “Imane, Imane” all through the bout.
Khelif’s opponent, the Thai boxer Janjaem, who was visibly shorter, took a standing depend within the third spherical after feeling the total pressure of the Algerian’s superior abilities.
Regardless of the extraordinary environment, the 2 fighters confirmed nice sportsmanship on the finish of the struggle, warmly greeting one another and shaking arms.
Khelif celebrated her victory with a dance within the middle of the ring, eliciting much more cheers from the group.
She’s going to face Yang Liu for the gold medal, after the Chinese language boxer defeated Taiwan’s Chen Nien-chin on factors within the different semi-final.
The gender controversy surrounding Khelif and one other boxer, Lin, started when Khelif defeated Angela Carini in simply 46 seconds throughout her opening bout. Carini, who suffered a extreme nostril damage, was diminished to tears and compelled to desert the struggle. The 2023 world championships, from which each Khelif and Lin have been expelled, have been organized by the Worldwide Boxing Affiliation (IBA). Nonetheless, because of considerations over the IBA’s monetary, governance, and moral practices, the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken cost of the game on the Olympic Video games.
IBA president Umar Kremlev, who has ties to the Kremlin, made a controversial declare throughout a chaotic press convention, stating that each fighters had undergone “genetic testing that exhibits that these are males.”
The IOC has strongly defended Khelif and Lin, with president Thomas Bach emphasizing that they have been born and raised as girls and maintain passports reflecting their gender.
