Imane Khelif, popular boxer from Algeria who made headlines during the Paris Olympics, is now eyeing the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Speaking to Spanish newspaper Marca, she has confirmed her plans to compete at a heavier weight class.
Khelif won the gold medal in Paris, but not before finding herself at the center of a gender controversy after she beat a female Italian boxer. “I’m focused on achieving a second Olympic gold in 2028, as well as preparing for the transition to professional,” Khelif told Marca.
“What I want is to do a perfect job, to arrive in better shape than I did in Paris, given that I now have greater mental and physical balance. For the transition to a professional, I’ll be waiting for a good contract, and the best offer will convince me. With the change in weight classes, I have to compete at 70kg. In Paris, I won at 66 kg, but I don’t think this increase will be difficult for me,” she added.
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Imane Khelif’s rise to fame
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif found herself at the center of a heated controversy during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her lightning-fast 46-second knockout of Italian boxer Angela Carini in their match sparked immediate drama. Carini, left tearful and unable to continue after a powerful punch, became the face of a growing backlash. Soon after the fight, rumors and accusations questioning Khelif’s eligibility as a female athlete exploded online, with critics claiming she had an unfair biological advantage. At that time, the debate turned into a global firestorm when high-profile figures like Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling publicly weighed in, amplifying calls for stricter gender verification rules in sports.
Tensions spilled over when Carini reportedly refused to shake Khelif’s hand after the bout—a moment that fueled further division. Despite the uproar, Khelif pushed forward, eventually winning gold in the 66kg category by defeating China’s Yang Liu. Her victory, however, remained overshadowed by the controversy. Supporters praised her resilience, arguing the scrutiny unfairly targeted her identity and achievements, while critics doubled down on demands for transparency in Olympic regulations.
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The incident reignited debates about fairness, inclusivity, and the ethics of policing athletes’ bodies, leaving fans and officials wrestling with questions that have no easy answers. For Khelif, the Olympics became less about celebration and more about navigating a storm of scrutiny that transcended sport itself.
