Algerian boxer Iman Khelife has created history by winning the gold medal in the Paris Olympics. In the final match of the welterweight category of women's boxing, she defeated Chinese boxer and 2023 world champion Yang Liu 5-0 in a one-sided match. Iman Khelife is the first Algerian woman boxer to win a gold medal. Apart from her, only Hocine Soltani has won a gold medal for Algeria in the men's category. This is the 7th gold medal in Algeria's Olympic history. After defeating Italian boxer Angela Carini in the pre-quarterfinal match, Khelife was accused of being a man. She was strongly opposed. There was even a demand to disqualify her.

The journey to Paris Olympics was difficult

The journey to Paris Olympics has been very difficult for Iman Kheleef. Winning the gold medal was not easy for her. During the entire Olympics, she was trolled by calling her a man. She faced a lot of opposition, there was even a demand to disqualify her and throw her out. Bearing all these things, Kheleef kept focusing on her matches. However, she was seen getting a lot of support in the final. During the bout, many fans were cheering by chanting slogans in her name.

After the victory, Kheleif punched the air and took a victory lap with the Algerian flag and thanked everyone for their support. During this, she looked very emotional. Kheleif said that becoming an Olympic champion was her dream of 8 years, which has been fulfilled. Not only this, she also talked about the attacks and hatred on her. She said that the protest against her has made this victory special. Kheleif expressed hope that such attacks will not happen in the future.

Became a boxer by selling junk

Iman Kheleif, who was surrounded by controversies due to many allegations in the Paris Olympics, was made the National Ambassador of UNICEF in 2024. Her boxing journey has been full of struggles. Kheleif was born in Tiaret, Algeria in 1999. The 25-year-old boxer was initially fond of playing football, but later she decided to make boxing her career.

When Khelif started boxing, she had to travel to another village by bus for training. At that time, Khelif was very poor and did not have money to travel by bus. So she used to arrange money for herself by selling junk. Not only this, her father did not like girls doing boxing at all. Still, Khelif did not give up and continued her sport despite all the problems.

The controversy of being a man has been going on since 2023

Iman Kheleif made her debut at the age of 19 in the 2018 AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship. In the 2019 World Boxing Championship, she was eliminated after losing in the first round. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she had to face defeat in the quarter-final match.

After this, in the year 2023, Kheleef reached the final of the World Boxing Championship. However, before the gold medal match, the International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified her. The IBA cited the high amount of testosterone in Kheleef's body as the reason behind disqualification.

Later, the IBA president also revealed that during the DNA test, X, Y chromosomes were found in Kheleef's body, which are found in men. However, the association's test also came under controversy. Kheleef also called IBA's decision a big conspiracy. Now, in the Paris Olympics, she has once again come under controversy with the same allegation.