Imane Khelif shows off new look after makeover following gold medal at Paris Olympics

Imane Khelif

Imane Khelif recently won gold at the Paris Olympics despite facing scrutiny over her gender

REUTERS
Jack Otway

By Jack Otway


Published: 16/08/2024

- 09:01

The 25-year-old won gold in France despite facing scrutiny over her gender

Imane Khelif has shown off her new look following a makeover in the wake of her recent gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

The 25-year-old was a controversial figure out in France, with the International Olympic Committee allowing her to compete despite the International Boxing Association saying she'd failed two gender tests at the World Boxing Championships last year.


Khelif has revealed she's been left hurt by comments claiming she is a man, with the Algerian filing a cyberbullying lawsuit with Paris prosecutors.

Elon Musk and JK Rowling are two famous figures named in the lawsuit, while Khelif's lawyer has revealed Donald Trump will be investigated as well.

Imane Khelif

Imane Khelif recently won gold at the Paris Olympics despite facing scrutiny over her gender

REUTERS

Khelif has now shown off her new look following a makeover.

In footage uploaded to Instagram, the boxing star can be seen punching towards the camera before the screen cuts to her sporting a pink, floral outfit.

Khelif wore hoop earrings and pink eyeliner, as well as lip gloss.

She also displays her gold medal, which was won when she beat China's Yang Liu last Friday.

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Imane Khelif

Imane Khelif has shown off her new look following a makeover in the wake of her recent gold medal win at the Paris Olympics

INSTAGRAM

After securing that prestigious prize, Khelif fiercely hit back at sceptics over her gender.

She insisted she was 'qualified' to be a woman, having been born and raised as one.

"I am fully qualified to take part in this competition. I am a woman like any other woman," she said.

"I was born a woman. I have lived as a woman. I competed as a woman - there is no doubt about that."

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Khelif also recently said she had been 'affected' by criticism from the likes of Musk and Trump.

"Immediately after there was a lot of noise from politicians, athletes, stars, artists — Elon Musk and Donald Trump and that hurt me a lot, I cannot describe how scared I was," she revealed.

"This affected me. I'm not lying to you, it affected me a lot. It hurt a lot.

"I can't describe the fear I had but thank God I was able to overcome it.

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"Thank god, all the people of Algeria and the Arab world knew Imane Khelif with her femininity, her courage, her will."

It is currently unclear what the future holds for Khelif.

But boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed he's open to offering the 25-year-old a professional contract. He told IFL TV: “Yes, if the facts were laid out and it was in a position where there is no reason why this individual shouldn’t compete as a female.

“Yes, I would, commercially. One, she is a talented fighter. Two, commercially I think she has up to two Instagram million followers, up from 30,000, so the answer is yes.

Imane Khelif

Imane Khelif was proud after her recent gold medal win at the Paris Olympics

REUTERS

"But there is probably facts that we don’t know are true around the situation.

“But if a fighter was deemed, you know, female with no physical advantages, but again we hear about X/Y chromosomes, and I haven’t seen anything, I’ve just seen someone say: ‘We’ve done this test.’

“Do we get to see it? Or are we just going to believe that narrative?

"It’s not ever one that I’d ever go: ‘I’m not getting involved in this conversation. It’s a topical conversation.’”

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