Imane Khelif: The Path To Boxing And Revealing More Images Of The Female Boxer’s Childhood.***

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif used to sell bread and pick up trash to make a living because his family was poor, but he overcame prejudice to pursue boxing.

Imane Khelif is the center of attention at the Paris Olympics after making her opponent cry and quit after just 46 seconds in her opening match in the women’s 66kg category on August 1. The Algerian boxer caused controversy with her male appearance and was banned from competing for failing a gender test last year.

Photo of Imane Khelif as a child. Photo: Mail

After the noisy match, the image of the pretty Imane Khelif as a child and her interview with the media in her hometown were dug up and attracted attention. She recounted her difficult and miserable childhood because she was born into a poor family in the countryside. “I had to sell bread on the street, pick up trash to earn money to travel to practice. I come from a family and area with conservative ideology. For them, boxing is a sport only for men. I encountered many obstacles when I started my career,” Khelif shared.

When asked why she chose to pursue a sport that is often considered a male sport, Khelif replied: “It was by chance. I never imagined that one day I would become a boxer and possibly a world champion. I have always loved football and used to play football in my small village. My father also preferred football to boxing. At school I was good at sports and my teacher encouraged me to take up boxing because I had the right qualities and physique and he was right,” she confided.

Algerian boxer says he “fell in love with boxing the moment he stepped into the ring for the first time”. Imane Khelif describes his career as “an amazing story”, starting in a village in Algeria and moving to a city, to the capital and then abroad.

Imane Khelif rose to prominence in 2022, winning the African Championship, the Mediterranean Championship and being the world lightweight runner-up. In 2023, she won the welterweight title at the Arab Games. But also in 2023, the boxer was controversially disqualified hours before the gold medal match at the world championships in New Delhi after being found to have high levels of testosterone (a male hormone).

Speaking in a documentary ahead of Paris 2024, Khelif said: “2023 was a very difficult year for me after a great year. It was a blow to me but I came back stronger, showed my strength, determination and showed the world how tough the woman Imane Khelif is.”

Khelif was later banned by the IBA on suspicion of being transgender. The Algerian boxer’s participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics has been controversial, especially after her quick win over Angela Carini on August 1. The Italian boxer was forced to retire after two punches from Khelif. Carini refused to shake Khelif’s hand but refused to comment on her opponent or the referee’s decision. Many celebrities have called for transgender athletes to be excluded from women’s competitions.

The match between Imane Khelif (left) and Angela Carini on August 1 lasted only 46 seconds. Photo: EPA

An International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesperson confirmed that Khelif and a similarly controversial boxer, Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan, who is identified as female in their passports, are eligible to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The IOC does not legally recognize the IBA because the organization has been embroiled in scandals over poor management and anti-corruption.

Imane Khelif’s difficult childhood

Despite his fame, few people know that Imane Khelif had a difficult childhood. Revealing the reason for becoming a boxer, one of the sports “often called a men’s sport”, Khelif said:

“It was just a coincidence. I never thought that one day I would become a boxer or a world champion. I always loved football and played it in my small village.

My dad also supported me to play football over boxing. I was quite good at sports and my teachers encouraged me to become a boxer because they saw my qualities.”

Khelif showed his talent for sports from a young age.

Childhood photos of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif have emerged amid a heated gender debate 

Khelif also revealed that she “fell in love” with boxing the moment she stepped into the ring for the first time. In addition, this female boxer also attracted attention when recounting her difficult childhood.

“I come from a conservative family and region. Boxing is a sport for men only. Having to move was one of the obstacles I encountered when I first started. I happened to sell bread on the street, I picked up dishes and many other things to earn money and to be able to move because I come from a very poor family,” the athlete born in 1999 said.

Khelif expressed his determination to attend the 2024 Olympics despite criticism aimed at him

Khelif made headlines when she was disqualified from the Women’s World Boxing Championships last year. Hours before her gold medal match against China’s Yang Liu in New Delhi, her testosterone levels failed to meet the qualifying criteria.

The Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) hit back, claiming the disqualification was part of a “plot” to stop them winning gold and citing “medical reasons” for high testosterone levels. Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting was also disqualified from the World Championships.

In the wake of the controversy, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has issued a statement condemning the sexist attacks on boxers, stating that these decisions are completely arbitrary and do not follow any proper procedures.

Khelif consoled but Carini did not accept

The IOC stressed that athletes who have competed at the highest level for many years have the right to play sport without discrimination. They are also committed to protecting the human rights of all athletes participating in the Olympic Games in accordance with the Olympic Charter, the IOC Code of Ethics and the Human Rights Strategic Framework.

The IOC also expressed concern over false reports involving two Paris 2024 Olympic athletes, Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting (Taiwan), and expressed sadness at the mistreatment the two female athletes are currently suffering.

“2023 was a very difficult year for me. But I came back stronger to show my determination, and to show the world what a brave woman Imane Khelif is,”  Khelif said.