Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer who won gold at the Paris Olympics 2024 against Chinese fighter Yang Liu, has been at the center of controversy over gender discrimination. The drama started when Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew from their match, claiming it was unfair, which led to internet trolling and criticising Khelif. In response to the negative attention, the gold medallist is not losing hope, as she recently shared a bold video of flaunting her feminine side. The clip features her undergoing a makeover that aligns more with traditional feminine standards. Through the video, Khelif tried to hit back at the trolls and challenged the negativity she faced.
In the video created with Beauty Code, Khelif is seen wearing earrings, a floral dress and heavy makeup. While the video was meant to be uplifting and celebrating her true self, some social media users still decided to target her with degrading comments. However, others praised Khelif for staying strong and not letting the haters discourage her. Since the boxer shared the video on Instagram, it has garnered over 2 Million views.
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Reacting to the video, a user wrote, “The people’s princess.”
Another shared, “Queen of the Olympics, honestly I can’t see any difference. She was beautiful before.”
“We all saw your true beauty that your soul reflects during the Olympic Games. You look just stunning. Enjoy your victory. Enjoy your beauty,” a comment read.
One more added, “You are a true inspiration for a lot of fighters in any area.”
Even though Imane Khelif was cleared by the International Olympic Committee to represent Algeria, she faced online harassment. The situation worsened when high profile figures like Donald Trump, JK Rowling and Elon Musk contributed to the controversy, due to which, Khelif decided to file a case against them.
As per News.com.au, after returning from Paris, the athlete sat for an interview with El Birad and said, “I cannot describe how scared I was. I was afraid that I would say, ‘Why did Imane Khelif insist on this? Why was there an uproar from big politicians around the world.’ I was afraid, but thank God, I was able to overcome this situation thanks to the therapists who were helping me. Politics and sports are two different things. These politicians wronged me. They have no right to call me a transgender. This is a disgrace to my honour and the honour of my family and to Algeria, and to the entire Arab world. The whole world knows that I am a Muslim woman. To everyone who would like to apologise, I will accept if they apologise. I am sending my message that I am a female and I will remain a female.”
Imane Khelif’s lawyer, Nabil Boudi, recently announced that the athlete had filed a complaint for online harassment, calling it a “fight for justice.” As per reports, the investigation has been assigned to the Central Office for Combating Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crimes.
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