Imane Khelif calls out Donald Trump.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has had enough of politicians meddling in sports.
Trump sparks controversy.
After clinching Olympic gold in Paris, she found herself unexpectedly dragged into controversy—thanks to none other than Donald Trump.
At a rally in Bozeman, Montana, Trump mocked Khelif, suggesting she was a man competing in women’s boxing.
Trump’s comments stirred up an old wound for the 25-year-old champion.
Khelif’s turbulent story detailed.
But Trump’s taunts are just one chapter of Khelif’s story—a story filled with both triumph and turbulence.
Her road to Paris wasn’t smooth.
Born in a modest neighborhood in Algeria, she fell in love with boxing as a teenager.
With limited resources but fierce determination, Khelif trained herself into one of the top female fighters in the world.
She earned respect in the boxing community, but the world outside the ring wasn’t always as kind.
Gender controversy explained.
Her journey to Olympic victory wasn’t just about the punches in the ring—it was also about standing up to intense scrutiny over her gender.
Back in 2023, Khelif faced disqualification from the World Championships after failing gender eligibility tests, reportedly due to male “XY chromosomes.”
Her gender came under scrutiny when she was disqualified from the World Championships.
The IBA’s gender accusations exposed.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) said she didn’t meet their gender eligibility criteria—an accusation Khelif vehemently denied.
She wasn’t transgender, but the world quickly turned her into a target for hateful comments and cyberbullying.
Headlines were filled with speculations about her identity, but Khelif stayed focused on one thing: her Olympic dream.
Despite the setback, she fought through and proved her worth on the Olympic stage.
“I never imagined I’d have to defend my womanhood just to compete,” Khelif told reporters after her victory in Paris.
“This gold medal means more than just winning—it’s my answer to everyone who doubted me, questioned me, or tried to tear me down.”
And now, after winning gold in the women’s 66kg category, Trump’s mockery was the last thing she needed.
Trump’s controversial comments revealed.
Trump, however, didn’t hold back during his rally.
He threw shade at Khelif’s win, sarcastically congratulating her for “evolving from a man to a woman.”
He even re-enacted her match, mocking her knockout of Italian boxer Angela Carini.
“She immediately gives up,” Trump scoffed, acting out a punch, “nobody has ever hit me that hard!”
She fired back at Trump in an interview with Algerian media outlet El Birad.
“Stay out of sports,” she told the former president bluntly.
“This isn’t politics—it’s my life, my dream, and my career. I’ve worked too hard for this moment to be belittled by someone who has no idea what it’s like to be an athlete.”
She filed a cyberbullying lawsuit in France, naming high-profile figures like Elon Musk, JK Rowling, and yes, Donald Trump.
Khelif believes their comments contributed to the harassment she’s faced since her gold medal win.
Khelif, unfazed, remained focused on her next challenge—another shot at the Olympics in 2028.
Her story, now etched in the annals of Olympic history, is far from over.