After her gold medal triumph at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif debuted a completely different appearance in a new video shared on social media.
The 25-year-old athlete captured the world’s attention when she clinched gold at the Paris Games, all while navigating a storm of controversy.
Her participation in the competition sparked heated gender debates, but she was staunchly defended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
In the new video shared on Instagram, Imane showcased her prowess by throwing punches at the camera. She then threw in a surprise by transitioning to a clip of herself dressed in a floral outfit.
The look was complete with matching earrings, pink eyeliner, and lip gloss. She flashed a bright smile and proudly displayed the Olympic gold medal she won after defeating China’s Yang Liu.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif clinched gold at the Paris Games after navigating a storm of controversy
Fans showered her with praises, with one calling her “the people’s princess” and another saying she is “the gorgeous queen.”
“Italian here. real woman and I never had doubt she is a woman,” one comment said. “Her beauty is unique, I love that pretty smile without any trace of make-up, it radiates all the sun. She’s what actually I consider a beautiful woman.”
Another wrote, “Absolutely beautiful, and ALL support from USA here! Period. And everyone else to include the hating à&& men just jealous they can’t hit as hard.”
However, some critics still dialed up the hate, saying harsh words like she is “still a boy.”
Trolls left remarks like “still man bro” and “are you kidding, we dont believe you” in the comments section.
“A man is a man. Even in makeup a man is a man,” another said.
The 25-year-old athlete debuted a completely new look, complete with pink eyeliner and lip gloss, in a new video
Imane’s Olympic journey captured worldwide interest, especially after her first-round match against Italy’s Angela Carini, who surrendered just 46 seconds after the match began.
“I’ve never been hit like that before,” she said.
The controversy escalated as notable figures like X CEO Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump raised doubts about the boxer’s gender.
She had previously faced disqualification from a different event, leading to widespread controversy. The International Boxing Association (IBA) had barred her and another competitor, Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, from the 2023 World Championship, but the IOC stood firm in their support of her.
The IBA—a Russian-led organization that the IOC no longer associates itself with—had held a press conference but failed to clear up the confusion over their gender eligibility test.
Fans showered her with praises, with one calling her “the people’s princess” and another saying she is “the gorgeous queen”
The governing body claimed that they “detected XY chromosomes in samples of both athletes.”
“The tests show they were men,” IBA President Umar Kremlev claimed during the press conference. “We don’t verify what they have between their legs. We don’t know if they were born like that, or if some changes were made.”
Contrary to the accusations, Imane does not identify as transgender and was born female.
She admitted experiencing immense “fear” after high-profile figures like Elon and Rowling made remarks about her gender.
When swimmer Riley Gaines shared a tweet saying, “Men don’t belong in women’s sports,” Elon re-shared the post and said: “absolutely.”
Meanwhile, the Harry Potter author shared a picture from the Algerian boxer’s match with Angela and accused the winner of being “a man enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head.”
The Algerian sports star said she was afraid because of the “uproar” about her gender, saying, “It affected me a lot, it hurt me a lot. I can’t describe to you the amount of fear I had”
She described her well-earned victory as a form of “men reveling in their power over women.”
As for Donald Trump, he also shared a photo and said, “I will keep men out of women’s sports!”
The former president, currently in the running for a second term in the White House, misgendered Imane as “he” on other occasions as well.
The gold-winning Olympian said she has been affected by all the “uproar” from big figures.
“Elon Musk, Trump, this thing that affected me, I’m not lying to you, it affected me,” she was quoted saying in an interview.
“It affected me a lot, it hurt me a lot. I can’t describe to you the amount of fear I had,” she said. “I was afraid that I would say, why did Imane Khalif 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 stage thanks to the specialists who helped me overcome this stage,” she added.
The gold-winning Olympian has filed a cyber harassment lawsuit that includes names like J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk
She also expressed her gratitude to people who stood by her throughout the ordeal.
“The scenario was very scary. Thank God, all the people of Algeria and the Arab world knew Imane Khelif with her femininity, her courage, her will,” she said.
For all the emotional turmoil she went through, Imane is now seeking justice through a lawsuit filed with French authorities. She has named Rowling and Elon in the cyber harassment lawsuit.
“J. K. Rowling and Elon Musk are named in the lawsuit, among others,” Nabil Boudi, Imane’s Paris-based attorney, told Variety.
The stars could face hefty fines and possibly even a prison sentence if the Olympic champion comes out victorious on the other side of the lawsuit.
“Trump tweeted, so whether or not he is named in our lawsuit, he will inevitably be looked into as part of the prosecution,” he added.
Although the lawsuit was filed in France, “it could target personalities overseas,” the lawyer said and noted that “the prosecutor’s office for combating online hate speech has the possibility to make requests for mutual legal assistance with other countries.”
“What we’re asking is that the prosecution investigates not only these people but whoever it feels necessary. If the case goes to court, they will stand trial,” he added.
Amid the backlash, a number of fans have backed Imane with unwavering support throughout the ordeal
