Imane Khelif delivers parting shot after winning gold at Paris Olympics - 'There is no doubt'
Imane Khelif delivered a parting shot at her critics after winning gold at the Paris Olympics on Friday night
REUTERS
Imane Khelif delivered a parting shot at her critics on Friday night after beating Yang Liu to win gold at the Paris Olympics.
The 25-year-old has been one of the hottest topics of the games so far, having previously failed a gender test at the World Boxing Championships last year.
Khelif has been allowed to compete by the International Olympic Committee, however, and has frequently insisted that she's a woman despite rumours to the contrary.
She was too strong for Liu on Friday, using her outstanding power to secure gold and her country's second medal of the games so far.
Imane Khelif delivered a parting shot at her critics after winning gold at the Paris Olympics on Friday night
REUTERS
Khelif is fully aware of the backlash she's received for taking part in the big event in Paris.
And the Algeria star, speaking after her win, sent one last message to her critics by saying there's 'no doubt' she deserves to compete like everybody else.
"I am fully qualified," she said. "I am a woman like any other woman. I was born a woman, I lived as a woman, I competed as woman - there is no doubt."
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Khelif also said her victory was even sweeter due to the amount of criticism she's received, with the 25-year-old firing shots at her 'enemies' for attempting to bring her down.
"There are enemies of success of course," she continued. "That gives my success a special taste because of these attacks."
Khelif previously took part in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago. With the Algeria star failing to impress, there was no uproar about her participation.
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Yet this year has been different. Ever since her win over Angela Carini in the first round, she's had to put up with constant rumours and speculation.
Carini withdrew from that fight after just 46 seconds, having felt the full force of Khelif's power. She cried afterwards but has since apologised to her rival for stoking the flames and adding fuel to the fire.
Khelif is proud of winning gold.
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Imane Khelif was too good on Friday night as the Algeria star claimed her country's second gold medal of the Paris Olympics
REUTERS
And she also had a message for the International Boxing Association, too. The discredited organisation have frequently claimed she is 'biological male' - and Khelif says she can't understand why they 'hate me'.
She continued: "My honour is intact now.
“But the attacks that I heard in social media were extremely bad and they are meaningless and they impact the dignity of people and I think that now people’s thinking has changed.
Imane Khelif celebrates her gold medal win at the Paris Olympics on Friday night
REUTERS
“As for the IBA, since 2018 I have been boxing under their umbrella.
"They know me very well, they know what I’m capable of, they know how I’ve developed over the years but now they are not recognised any more.
"They hate me and I don’t know why. I send them a single message: with this gold medal, my dignity, my honour is above everything else.”