Algerian boxer Imane Khelif ‘not intimidated’ by Donald Trump as she targets second Olympic gold in LA | Boxing News

Imane Khelif (Image credit score: Instagram)

Algerian Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif, who discovered herself on the middle of a gender controversy throughout the Paris Games, is now setting her sights on a second gold medal in Los Angeles. She stays unfazed by Donald Trump’s latest insurance policies, which have sparked additional debate on transgender participation in sports activities.
Last month, the US president signed an government order stopping transgender ladies from competing in feminine sports activities classes. Trump had beforehand claimed that the 25-year-old boxer had transitioned from male to feminine, which Khelif has strongly refuted.

“I will give you a straightforward answer — the US president issued a decision related to transgender policies in America,” she informed Britain’s ITV News.
“I am not transgender. This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me. That is my response.”
Meanwhile, Olympic officers lately really useful boxing’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Games following the provisional recognition of a brand new governing physique. The last determination is about to be accredited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Greece later this week.
“Second gold medal, of course,” mentioned Khelif. “In America, Los Angeles.”
Reflecting on her journey, Khelif believes she has grown stronger via the challenges she has confronted.
“This experience has taught me a lot. I believe that if the old Imane operated at 50 percent of her potential, then the Imane Khelif of today is even more motivated and determined.

“I’ve realized a lot from this marketing campaign towards me, and what occurred on the Paris Olympics was an eye-opening expertise. I really feel even stronger now than I used to be earlier than.”
Her victory in Paris, alongside Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, ignited a heated debate on gender eligibility in sports, with public figures like Trump and Elon Musk weighing in.
Khelif admitted that the intense scrutiny took a toll on her mental health, while her family also endured significant distress.
She shared that her mother had to visit the hospital frequently as the controversy unfolded.
Both Khelif and Lin were previously disqualified from the International Boxing Association‘s (IBA) 2023 World Championships after the organization claimed they had failed gender eligibility tests.
The IOC has since severed ties with the IBA due to concerns over governance, finances, and ethics. The IBA, long associated with amateur boxing, is currently led by Kremlin-linked Russian official Umar Kremlev.
Last month, the IOC provisionally recognized World Boxing as the new governing body responsible for overseeing the sport at future Olympic Games.
‘NO FEAR’
“As we are saying in Algeria, those that don’t have anything to cover shouldn’t have any concern,” Khelif told ITV. “The fact turned clear on the Paris Olympics — the injustice was uncovered and later, the reality was acknowledged by the Olympic Committee in Paris.”
She continued: “For me, I see myself as a lady, similar to some other woman. I used to be born a lady, raised as a lady, and have lived my whole life as one.

“I have competed in many tournaments, including the Tokyo Olympics and other major competitions, as well as four world championships.
“All of those came about earlier than I began successful and incomes titles. But as soon as I started attaining success, the campaigns towards me began.”
The debate surrounding transgender athletes and competitors with differences in sex development (DSD) has become a central topic in the IOC presidential race, which is set to conclude on Thursday.
Leading candidates Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior, Sebastian Coe, and Kirsty Coventry have all emphasized the importance of preserving fairness in women’s sports.
World Athletics president Coe told AFP in an interview last year: “If we don’t shield ladies’s sport and we do not have a transparent and unambiguous set of insurance policies to try this, then we run the chance of dropping ladies’s sport.”
Khelif expressed her hope that the next IOC president would uphold the core principles of the Olympic movement.
“I hope the subsequent president of the IOC leads with true sportsmanship, stays dedicated to Olympic ideas, and upholds the values of truthful play.”