The masculine-looking Algerian boxer, Imane Khelife has been crowned Olympic champion at the ongoing Paris Olympic games.
Imane Khelif beat China’s Yang Liu to win gold in the women’s welterweight final.
Khelif comfortably won each of the three rounds on the judges’ scorecards and jumped into the arms of her trainer when the decision was announced.
Khelif’s coach carried the 25-year-old around the arena on his shoulders in celebration.
It would be recalled that Khelif gained global attention at the ongoing games when her Italian opponent, in an earlier fight, Angela Carini, quit after only 46 seconds, suggesting that the Algerian’s punches were so strong and unlike anything she had felt all her life.
Many people took the incident as an indication that the fight was a mismatch, given a history of disqualification of Khelif by the International Boxing Association (IBA) for failing a gender eligibility test last year.
Many argued that she posed a risk to women with findings that she had more testosterone in her body than an average woman which can lead to extra strength and muscle.
Many called for her disqualification from the game, while some, such as her country supported her.
Responding to the allegations, Khelif said winning gold would be the “best response” to her critics.
