Imane Khelif has hit out at the ‘bullying’ she has received during the Olympics, describing it as ‘harmful to human dignity’.
Khelif’s participation at the Paris Olympics has come under scrutiny after she and Lin Yu-ting – who are both now guaranteed medals -were disqualified from last year’s Word Championships.
At the time, the International Boxing Association (IBA) said both fighters failed gender eligibility tests, but the International Olympic Committee has cast doubt over the validity of the tests.
The IOC have also insisted both fighters were ‘born women and raised women’ but that has not stopped some fans from complaining about their presence in Paris.
In her first sit-down interview since the Olympics started, Khelif has criticised the treatment she has received and has asked fans to ‘refrain from bullying’.
‘I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects,’ she told SNTV.
‘It can destroy people, it can kill people’s thoughts, spirit and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying.’
Khelif also said her family are ‘worried’ about her, though she does not want the ongoing controversy to harm her chances of winning Olympic gold in Paris.
‘I am in contact with my family two days a week,’ the 25-year-old said. ‘I hope that they weren’t affected deeply.
‘They are worried about me. God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal, and that would be the best response.’
Asked how aware she was of the debate over her participation at the Games, Khelif added: ‘Honestly, I don’t follow social media.
‘There is a mental health team that doesn’t let us follow social media, especially in the Olympic Games, whether me or other athletes. I’m here to compete and get a good result.’
Khelif faces Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng on Tuesday in Paris. If victorious, she will fight for Olympic gold on Friday.
Looking ahead to the semi-final bout, Suwannapheng said she was not ‘afraid’ of Khelif and is determined to win gold.
‘I’ve improved since then and I’ll fight with all I’ve got,’ Suwannapheng told Thai newspaper Khaosod.
‘I’ve looked into it too, about her hormones, and I know she’s lost to female boxers before, but that was a long time ago.
‘I’m not sure if she’s got stronger or if her male hormones have increased. But if we meet again, I’m not afraid because we’re evenly matched.
‘I’ve prepared my body well too, trained a lot. I just think, no matter how strong or tough, we’re both human, we both have two fists.
‘Having come this far, I want to go all the way to the gold medal.’
Taiwanese boxer Lin, meanwhile, takes on Turkey’s Esra Yildiz Kahraman in Wednesday’s semi-final in the featherweight division.