Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, was involved in a scandal after her opponent, Italian boxer Angela Carini, withdrew from their bout during the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Even though Khelif identifies as a woman and was born female, her participation has generated a lot of discussion.

Her father has finally spoken up.

Khelif’s boxing battle versus Carini ended abruptly on August 1st when the Italian boxer left the ring early, claiming that she was experiencing “severe pain” in her nose.

Source: Freepik

As previously mentioned, Khelif was deemed the automatic winner due to this unexpected turn of events. Her prior disqualification from the 2023 world championships because of high testosterone levels, however, has prompted some to contend that she ought not to participate against female competitors.

In defense of his 25-year-old daughter, Amar Khelif spoke to Reuters,expressing pride and admiration for her achievements. “Having such a daughter is an honor because she is a champion. She honored me, and I encourage her. I hope she will get the medal in Paris,” he said. “Imane is a little girl that has loved sport since she was 6 years old.”

To address doubts about her gender, Amar Khelif presented what Reuters described as an “official-looking document.” He stated, “This is our family official document, May 2, 1999, Imane Khelif, female. It is written here; you can read it. This document doesn’t lie.”