Olympic boxer Imane Khelif has attracted international attention following accusations of being transgender.
The Algerian dominated headlines after Italian Angela Carini abandoned a match against her after just 46 seconds last week, sparking rife controversy.
The debate over whether the 25-year-old is male or female continues to rage. But, while she has had many people lash out, she’s received plenty of support too, with some coming from WWE star Sami Zayn after she won an important match on Tuesday.
“Big ups to the Muslim sister Imane Khelif who advanced in the Olympics today to box for the gold medal after facing a swarm of the most idiotic, bigoted comments I’ve ever seen an Olympic athlete face,” the former WWE Intercontinental Champion wrote on X/Twitter. “Inshallah she wins the big one & the b**cha**es online get the help they need.”
Imane Khelif Is One Win Away From Gold
Khelif has also received support from the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, following a statement from the governing body last week.
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“We have two boxers who were born as women, who have been raised as women, who have a passport as a woman, and who have competed for many years as women,” he said, per NBC News.
Bach’s comments starkly contrast those of World Boxing Organization vice president Istan Kovacs, who has claimed tests determined Imane Khelif was a man as far back as 2022.
Despite the vitriol, Khelif has punched her way to the women’s boxing finals, beating Thailand boxer Janjaem Suwannapheng in Tuesday’s semis.
She is also guaranteed a medal no matter what the outcome is and will be returning home with either gold or silver.
