2024 Olympics: Imane Khelif, boxer at center of gender controversy, wins in unanimous decision

SEINE-SAINT DENIS, FRANCE — Algeria's Imane Khelif, boxing in the Olympics for the first time since she became a worldwide subject of notoriety and speculation, defeated Hungary's Anna Luca Hamori in the women's 66kg quarterfinals at Paris North Arena by unanimous decision.

The media tribune at Paris North Arena was filled beyond capacity, but with all due respect to the other 35 Olympians fighting Saturday evening, the world media was in the arena for one fighter, and one fighter only. Khelif entered the arena to waves of cheers, leaping into the ring to the tune of "Jump Around." Hamori, following her, was hit with far more boos as she made her way around the ring.

The two quickly tapped gloves and prepared for the fight in the most energetic event of the afternoon. Early in the first of three rounds, Khelif used her superior reach to stay out of Hamori's line of fire. Hamori spent most of the first round as the aggressor, while Khelif was largely content to stay back and pick her spots. A flurry of blows at the end of the first round kept the crowd engaged, and Khelif won the first round 10-9 on all five judges' cards.

Khelif began taking more shots to start the second round, but Hamori was able to keep distance. The crowd began a chant of "I-MANE!" as the action picked up pace, with Khelif narrowly missing on several roundhouse punches. The fighers clinched up multiple ties in the round, and Khelif was able to land several serious jabs to Hamori's chin. The second round also went to Khelif, 10-9 on four cards and 10-8 on one.

In the third round, Hamori knew she had to take the fight to Khelif, and began getting inside Khelif's long reach. That led to a clinch and tumble to the canvas about 50 seconds into the round. Khelif shook off a jab, and then Hamori clinched again and pulled both fighters to the ground again. As the fight wrapped up, Khelif again battered Hamori. The two embraced after the final bell.

Saturday’s bout was the latest chapter in the Olympics’ latest culture war, one which erupted immediately after Khelif’s first bout of the Games. On Thursday, Italy's Angela Carini took two hard punches to the face from Khelif and abandoned the fight after just 46 seconds.

After that bout, Khelif’s 2023 suspension at the hands of the International Boxing Association and its president, Umar Kremlev of Russia, became part of the narrative. The IBA ruled that Khelif and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-ting, who is also competing in these Games, had failed unspecified gender tests and disqualified them from competition, although the IBA did not specify exactly what tests were failed or how it determined its results. Khelif was disqualified after handing Russia's Azalia Amineva her only career loss; the disqualification removed that loss from Amineva's record.

Complicating matters further: the IBA and the International Olympic Committee have been locked in a years-long war of words. The IOC has severed ties with the IBA over concerns about the organization’s finances, judging and impartiality. In response, the IBA and Kremlev have criticized the operations, ethics and honesty of the IOC right up into these Olympics. As a further public relations jab, the IBA said it would pay Carini as if she were an Olympic champion.

Regardless of its authenticity or motivations, the IBA’s ruling — and Khelif’s swift victory — were all that many online commentators needed to make sweeping, and often completely incorrect, judgments about Khelif, her eligibility and her biology.

"Let's be very clear here. We are talking about women's boxing," IOC president Thomas Bach said a few hours before Khelif's bout. "We have two boxers who were born as woman [sic], been raised as woman, who have passports as a woman, and who have competed for many years as woman. This is legally the definition of a woman. There was never any doubt about them being a woman."

Hamori, Khelif’s opponent, leaned into the swirling controversy. “I am not scared," she said prior to the fight. "If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win. So let’s do it. It’s going to be a great fight and I hope it will be my day. I can’t wait.”

She also indicated she didn't understand Carini's decision to quit her fight so early. “It was her choice," Hamori said. "I don’t understand as I thought every boxer’s mind is the same as mine: Never give up. I know I have always wanted to do this."

She posted a pic on her Instagram story showing a young female fighter facing off against a monstrous hulking creature, along with a declaration that she "(doesn't) care about the stories, what is going on the social media right now. I just want to stay focused on myself and I know why I came here. I want to get a medal from the Olympic Games. So I don't care about anything. I will go to the ring and I will get my win."

She didn't, but she stayed in the ring for the whole fight. Khelif now moves on to the semifinals.