Paris 2024: Boxing champion who beat Imane Khelif weighs in on the gender controversy

Imane Khelif, representing Algeria in boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, has sparked significant controversy on social media following her victory over Italy’s Angela Carini. Carini withdrew just 46 seconds into the match due to the punishment she was receiving.

As a result, social media began circulating claims that the African athlete had an unfair advantage during the fight because she is a “trans woman” with “male hormones.”

Amy Broadhurst, a world boxing champion and one of the women who previously defeated Imane Khelif, shared her thoughts on the controversy surrounding her former opponent.

What did Amy Broadhurst say?

Broadhurst revealed that she had received numerous messages about Khelif and the situation: “I’ve had a lot of people texting me over Imane Khelif,” she wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “Personally, I don’t think she has done anything to ‘cheat.’”

Amy Sara Broadhurst celebrates after defeating Gemma Paige Richardson. Eddie Keogh/Getty Images

Broadhurst continued, “I think it’s the way she was born, and that’s out of her control. The fact that she has been beaten by nine females before says it all.”

Responding to one comment, she added, “If this is a man and it becomes 100% fact, I’ll be disgusted that I was in the ring, as were many others. A man vs a woman is far from okay. But right now, nobody knows what the true facts are.”

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Broadhurst’s comments highlight the ongoing debate and uncertainty surrounding Khelif’s situation, emphasizing the need for clarity and facts in this contentious issue.