Olympic fans cheer on Imane Khelif during win after she faced days of online abuse
A passionate crowd showered Algerian boxer Imane Khelif with cheers during her fight Saturday at the Paris Olympics following a cascade of backlash over false claims about her gender
VILLEPINTE, France (AP) — A passionate crowd showered Algerian boxer Imane Khelif with cheers during her fight Saturday at the Paris Olympics, repeatedly chanting “Imane! Imane!” before the athlete who has faced a cascade of backlash over false claims about her gender broke out in sobs following her win.
A large contingent of Algerian supporters called her name and waved flags throughout the women’s 66-kilogram quarterfinal at North Paris Arena, and they unleashed some booes as her opponent was introduced in the jam-packed venue.
Khelif defeated Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary 5:0 to ensure that she will win at least a bronze medal.
Khelif took to the ring amid days of international scrutiny and online abuse as misconceptions about her gender added to an ongoing clash over gender identity and regulation in sports. The outcry about Khelif's participation in the Paris Games exploded after she won her opening bout Thursday, when opponent Angela Carini of Italy tearfully abandoned the fight after just 46 seconds.
