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Imane Khelif, the boxer at the centre of the gender debate that cast a shadow over the Paris 2024 Olympics, has told President Trump she will not be intimidated by his aggressive rhetoric.
The 25-year-old Algerian boxer won gold amid controversy in Paris, a year after allegedly failing a gender verification test conducted by the now discredited International Boxing Association at the World Boxing Championships in 2023.
Khelif has signalled her intention to repeat the feat at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
Last year, President Trump wrongly claimed she was transgender, saying: “They were men. They transitioned to women, and they were in the boxing.”
The new US government has gone on the attack against trans rights, and last month Trump signed a sweeping executive order to force schools and athletic organisations to ban transgender girls and women from competing in women’s sports.
Speaking to ITV News in an interview to be broadcast on Wednesday evening, Khelif said: “I will give you a straightforward answer: the US President issued a decision related to transgender policies in America. I am not transgender. This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me. That is my response.”
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That came after Khelif interrupted a question about her dream of repeating her triumph, saying: “Second gold medal, of course. In America, Los Angeles.”
Khelif’s triumph in Paris, along with that of Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu Ting, sparked a gender eligibility debate to which high-profile figures such as President Trump, Elon Musk and JK Rowling contributed.
She revealed she was “deeply affected mentally” by the “major media campaign” surrounding her, and said her mother was attending hospital almost daily as her family shared the brunt of the attacks.
She said: “As we say in Algeria, those who have nothing to hide should have no fear. The truth became clear at the Paris Olympics — the injustice was exposed and later, the truth was acknowledged by the Olympic Committee in Paris.”
open image in gallery
She added: “For me, I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl. I was born a girl, raised as a girl, and have lived my entire life as one.
“I have competed in many tournaments, including the Tokyo Olympics and other major competitions, as well as four World Championships. All of these took place before I started winning and earning titles. But once I began achieving success, the campaigns against me started.”
