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Journalism of Courage
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who first represented the country at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is making waves for her participation in the ongoing Paris Olympics. Amid the controversy about her gender, Khelif secured a medal, making her way to the semi-finals in the women’s 66 kg event.
While the Internet is abuzz, Khelif’s father broke his silence for the first time and spoke about his daughter and her gender identity-related questions. In an interview with Sky News, Omar Khelif said his child was raised as a girl. “My child is a girl. She was raised as a girl. She’s a strong girl. I raised her to be hard working and brave. She has a strong will to work and to train,” he said.
Showing an official document dated May 2, 1999, Khelif said the boxer is identified as female, Reuters reported. According to the boxer’s father, his “little girl” has loved sport since the age of six and these “critics and rumours aim to destabilise” her as they don’t want her to become the world champion.
Sharing a clip of the interview on X, journalist Sulaiman Ahmed wrote, “Imane Khelif’s father defends his daughter: “My daughter is a woman, we have all the evidence, including her birth certificate. My daughter was just stronger than the Italian boxer. She works very hard.”
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With over a million views, the video prompted several reactions from social media users. A user commented, “How a father or any parent must feel when the world says such disgusting things about his daughter!!” Another user wrote, “Shame on the people who upset her family and spoiled her proud father’s celebration.”
“Must be a proud father to have raised a strong daughter and I hope he hasn’t seen any of the drama that unfolded in her name online. Westerners need to keep their gender issues to themselves,” a third user wrote.
Khelif defeated Angela Carini in less than 46 seconds on Thursday. Carini said she had pulled out after being hit harder than she had ever been hit and feared her nose was broken. “I went to the ring to honour my father. I was told a lot of times that I was a warrior but I preferred to stop for my health. I have never felt a punch like this,” she said.
Soon after the uproar, Carini apologised to Khelif for walking out of the event without the handshake.
