Gender-row boxer Imane Khelif wins Olympic quarter-final and guarantees medal for Algeria
3 August 2024, 16:49 | Updated: 3 August 2024, 17:43
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has won her Olympic women's boxing quarter-final against Hungary's Anna Luca Hamori - guaranteeing the fighter a medal amid a fierce gender row over her eligibility.
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The fighter won the bout through a unanimous decision - and will fight in the women's 66kg class semi final.
Controversy brewed over Khelif's eligibility for women's boxing after Italy's Carini quit her fight against the Algerian when two punches saw her helmet dislodged.
Carini refused to shake hands with Khelif after the fight as she wept on the canvas with a possible broken nose.
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Caller defends Algerian boxer Imane Khelif
Before the match-up, Hamori said: "I'm not scared."
The Hungarian boxer added: "I don't care about the press story and social media. If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win."
Hamori said she had chosen to stay off her phone to prepare for the fight.
"I'm trying to not use my phone before the fight," she said.
"I don't want to care about the comments or the story or the news. I just want to stay focused on myself. I did it before my last two fights, so I think this is the key, and we will see."
Responding to the controversy, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said that Khelif was eligible to compete in the Olympics as her passport says she is a woman.
A statement read: "Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination.
"All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition's eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU)."
The authority further clarified that "the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport," and confirmed that both athletes had previously competed in Tokyo.
"We have seen in reports misleading information about two female athletes competing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024," they added.
