Algerian boxer Imane Khelif got caught up in controversy after her opponent, Angela Carini from Italy, suddenly walked away from their fight at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Even though Khelif was born female and identifies as a woman, her participation in the match stirred up a lot of debate.
Now, her father has finally spoken out.
On August 1, during Khelif’s boxing match with Carini, the fight unexpectedly ended when the Italian boxer left the ring early, saying she was experiencing “severe pain” in her nose.
After her opponent left the match, Imane Khelif was automatically declared the winner. But, some people think she shouldn’t compete against other women because she was disqualified from the 2023 world championships for having high testosterone levels.
Imane’s father, Amar Khelif, defended her, expressing pride in her achievements. He said, “Having such a daughter is an honor because she is a champion. She made me proud, and I encourage her. I hope she wins a medal in Paris.” He also mentioned that Imane has loved sports since she was 6 years old.
To clear up any doubts about her gender, Amar Khelif showed an official document that says, “Imane Khelif, female,” dated May 2, 1999. He insisted that this document is the truth.
The controversy led Angela Carini, the Italian boxer, to apologize to Khelif on August 2. She told an Italian news outlet that she was sorry for what happened and that she respects the decision allowing Khelif to fight. Carini explained that she didn’t mean for things to turn out this way and apologized to Khelif and everyone else.
Imane Khelif also spoke out, asking people to stop bullying athletes. She told SNTV, “Bullying can destroy people’s spirits and minds. It can divide people, and that’s why I’m asking everyone to stop doing it.”
Despite all the controversy, Khelif’s story shows the tough challenges athletes face when they’re under public scrutiny. Her father’s support and her own request for kindness remind us how important it is to show respect and understanding in sports.
As the debate goes on, Khelif is still focused on her goal of succeeding in the Olympics and making her family and country proud. The journey hasn’t been easy, but with her father’s encouragement and her own determination, she aims to overcome these challenges and continue on her path as a champion.
Candace Owens Shares Big Personal News With Her Followers – Read It Here
Conservative commentator Candace Owens announced on Tuesday that she is pregnant with her second chiId. Owens made the announcement on social media with photos of her family and captioned the post with lyrics to a Jordan Davis song titled “Buy Dirt.”
Do what you Iove and call it work, Throw a little money in the plate at church, Send your prayers up and your roots down deep, And add a few limbs to your family tree, the lyrics read.
Owens rounded out her post with the hashtags #FamilyofFour and #July2022. Owens made headlines this week when she also slammed Dwayne Johnson, aIso known as The Rock, for walking back his support for podcast host Joe Rogan.
The Rock initially stated he supported Rogan amid a push from leftists to have him removed from Spotify, but he changed his mind when oId videos went viral of Rogan using the N-Word. Following the tweet, Owens called out Johnson and other celebrities who decided to take back their support of Rogan.
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