Moroccan Kickboxing Icon Badr Hari Praises Imane Khelif Amid Olympic Controversy

Supporters rally on social media to defend Khelif and debunk false claims about her gender.

Moroccan-Dutch kickboxing luminary Badr Hari has lauded Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, even as controversy shadows her Olympic journey.

In a recent Instagram story, Hari praised Khelif’s efforts, stating, “Well-deserved. Congratulations to this young woman.”

On August 3, Khelif clinched a decisive 5-0 victory against Hungary’s Hamor Anna Luca in the women’s 66kg quarterfinal.

Hari, a celebrated kickboxer and former mixed martial artist, is widely regarded as one of the sport’s finest. His accolades include the K-1 Heavyweight World Champion title (2007-2008) and the It’s Showtime Heavyweight World Champion title (2009-2010).

Khelif, an experienced competitor in women’s boxing, boasts a remarkable resume. She participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and earned a silver medal at the 2022 Women’s World Championships in Istanbul.

Despite her achievements, her participation in the Paris Games has been marred by allegations concerning her gender.

The controversy intensified following her dominant win over Italy’s Angela Carini in a welterweight bout. Misinformation and baseless claims about Khelif being transgender, fueled by the sheer power of her punches, have sparked heated debate.

This controversy has led to unwarranted scrutiny of Khelif’s background, with some questioning the boxer’s testosterone levels.

Supporters have rallied on social media, defending Khelif and debunking the transgender claims. Medical evidence and her extensive public boxing career support the argument that these allegations lack foundation.

From a medical standpoint, experts have defended the legitimacy of Khelif’s gender testing and dispelled myths about the role of testosterone in providing unfair advantages to women in sports.

In an interview with the Economic Times, Payoshnii Mitra, athlete rights advocate and executive director of the Humans of Sport organization, stated: “It’s important to understand that the level of testosterone in these women is produced naturally. Even if one has a high level of testosterone, a woman’s tissues and muscles may not respond in the same way as men’s.”

In a recent interview with BFMTV, Khelif’s father also defended his daughter, asserting, “My child is a girl. She was raised as a girl. She’s a strong girl. I raised her to be hardworking and brave. She has a strong will to work and to train. The Italian opponent she faced was unable to defeat my daughter because my daughter was stronger and she was softer.”

Both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU) have emphasized in a statement that all athletes must comply with eligibility and medical regulations, with gender verification based on official passport information.

They have also criticized the International Boxing Association (IBA) for its abrupt disqualification of Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin-Yu during the 2023 World Championships, which has exacerbated the current controversy.

Undeterred by the controversy, the Algerian boxer continues to compete. Khelif is scheduled to face Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng today in a semifinal match at 9:34 p.m. Moroccan time.