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    Gold medalist Imane Khelif celebrated in return home to Algeria after Olympic boxing controversy

    By Michael Blinn,

    3 hours ago

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2ZjYNX_0uvweBC700

    Controversy did not follow Imane Khelif home to Algeria.

    The gold medal-winning boxer returned home from the Paris Olympics on Monday, and along with her fellow Alerian medalists, was greeted by Algiers’ Minister of Youth and Sports Abderrahmane Hammad.

    They will also meet President Abdelmadjid Tebboune later this week, according to APS, the nation’s public press service.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4YA5Go_0uvweBC700
    Gold medalist in the the women’s 66 kg boxing Algeria’s Imane Khelif, left, and bronze medalist in the men’s 800m Djamel Sedjati arrive after the 2024 Summer Olympics. AP
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3e5d7v_0uvweBC700
    Gold Medalist Imane Khelif of Team Algeria acknowledges the fans during the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Getty Images

    Olympic boxing champ Imane Khelif files complaint for online harassment over gender controversy

    Khelif, 25, found herself in the middle of Olympic controversy after winning her opening bout against Italy’s Angela Carini in 46 seconds.

    Carini’s post-fight comments — she claimed she’d never been punched so hard and refused to shake Khelif’s hand — created a firestorm of questions surrounding Khelif’s sex and eligibility to be fighting in the women’s tournament.

    The Italian later said she regretted her comments .

    Imane Khelif wins boxing gold to cap 2024 Olympics defined by gender controversy

    The Russian-led IBA had previously disqualified Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting — who won gold in the women’s 57kg division — claiming they had failed eligibility tests, though the governing body has not been transparent about those tests.

    The IOC, which has disassociated itself from the IBA, continually backed Khelif throughout the Olympic tournament, during which she went on to beat Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori, Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng and China’s Liu Yang en route to gold.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=21uRAC_0uvweBC700
    Imane Khelif of Team Algeria and Liu Yang of Team People’s Republic of China exchange punches during the Boxing Women’s 66kg Final match. Getty Images
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0iTS1U_0uvweBC700
    Imane Khelif of Algeria celebrates her gold medal win during Women’s 66kg – Final match against Liu Yang of People’s Republic of China. Getty Images

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    “I’m fully qualified to take part in this competition,” Khelif said after her victory on Friday. “I’m a woman like any other woman. I was born as a woman, I live as a woman, and I am qualified.”

    Despite the controversy and scrutiny surrounding Khelif and her journey, she remained undaunted.

    “For eight years, this has been my dream, and I’m now the Olympic champion and gold medalist,” Khelif said. “[The scrutiny] also gives my success a special taste because of those attacks.”

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2M3r0e_0uvweBC700
    Angela Carini (L) of Italy abandons her bout in the Women 66kg preliminaries round of 16 against Imane Khelif. YAHYA ARHAB/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

    On Sunday, Khelif filed a lawsuit with Paris authorities, saying she was the victim of online abuse .

    “We are in the Olympics to perform as athletes, and I hope that we will not see any similar attacks in future Olympics,” she said.

    For the latest in sports, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/sports/

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