Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who was crowned champion at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the 66-kilogram category amid a strong controversy for not having passed the International Boxing Association’s gender test, posed with a radical change of look for a beauty center that dedicated some emotional words to her, congratulating her not only for the gold medal she won, but for her personality.
The 25-year-old athlete, who filed a cyberbullying lawsuit against public figures such as Elon Musk, Donald Trump and JK Rowling, among others, participated in a video posted on the social network Instagram in which she is seen in the opening scene with her boxing gloves and then changing into more casual attire, with a flowery shirt, earrings and makeup. In addition, she wore the gold medal she won in Paris around her neck.
The beauty institute Beauty Code and Imane Khelif jointly published the images, with a text that seeks to raise awareness about the criticism the boxer received for her gender and appearance.
“To get her medal, she didn’t have time to waste in beauty salons or shopping. She never felt the need to conform to those standards to prove her worth. For me, she is a star, an eternal favourite. Since Hassiba Boulmerka, icon of my generation, no athlete has aroused as much controversy as she, beautiful as a woman, radiant as an amazon of auras,” begins the post.
“By changing her look, Imane did not intend to change her appearance to fit into the moulds that the world wants to confine us to. Her message is much deeper: the dress does not make the monk, and appearance does not reveal the essence of a person. You can be feminine and elegant when you want, but in the ring you do not need ornaments or high heels. You only need strategy, strength and forcefulness, which is where the essence of her character lies,” she continues.
The article then goes on to say a sentence aimed at Italian Angela Carini, who abandoned the fight against Khelif in Paris after 40 seconds: “Just as a moustache does not make a man – beetles have them too – dresses, extensions and make-up do not define a woman. Not every stadium has true athletes, as passionate as Iman Khelif.”
The Italian has shown us that even the schoolyard whiners, those who make up lies to steal someone else’s food, can be found in the ring. “Iman is beautiful, not because she is dressed up today, but because she defined herself,” she concluded.
The boxer, who has become a reference in Algeria, received the Order of National Merit from the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune. “I have had the honour of being awarded,” Khelif posted with the images of the historic moment for her.
In addition to the recent Olympic controversy, Khelif is no stranger to discrimination in sport. Sixteen months ago, both she and Taiwanese Lin Yu Ting were disqualified and denied medals at the 2023 World Championships, organised by the International Boxing Association (IBA). The Russian-dominated body claimed that neither boxer had passed an eligibility test for women’s competitions. In contrast, boxing at Paris 2024 is being run by a panel appointed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), with eligibility rules approved in 2016 seen as outdated compared to those governing other Olympic sports.
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