Imane Khelif continues to be at the center of an ethical debate at the 2024 Olympic Games surrounding the safety of female fighters as one of her former opponents recalls how she felt “very out of her depth” against the Algerian.
Controversy erupted when Khelif grabbed headlines for defeating Angela Carini inside 46 seconds in Paris, with the Italian suggesting it wasn’t fair for her to compete against other women, despite being a woman herself.
That’s because Khelif is thought to have a sexual differentiation disorder that causes her to produce more testosterone than a typical woman, which critics argue gives her an unfair advantage regarding weight gain and strength.
Whilst some have defended Khelif by insisting she isn’t cheating, others such as Brinda Tamara, claimed they felt completely out of their depth against Khelif who holds a 42-9 record through amateurs.
“When I fought with her, I felt very out of my depth; her blows hurt me a lot,” Tamara wrote on X in March 2023. “I don’t think I had ever felt like that in my 13 years as a boxer.
“Nor in my sparring with men. Thank God that day I got out of the ring safely, and it’s good that they finally realized.”
Tamara faced Khelif in December 2022 in Mexico prior to her IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship Finals in 2023, and she posted photos from the fight showing bruises covering her left cheek and eye, which had not swollen shut.
Khelif was banned by the IBA after they conducted a “recognized” test but refused to publish results, as the board claimed she had unfair advantages over women competitors. It’s unknown and unclear what those advantages are.
The Algerian appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the decision, but later withdrew the appeal before the International Olympics Committee stripped the IBA of their recognition.
When does Imane Khelif fight next?
After defeating Carini in her opening fight of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Imane Khelif will face Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori on Saturday, August 3.
