Olympic gold medal-winning boxer Imane Khelif hits back at Donald Trump: ‘I’m not intimidated’
Imane Khelif aims to compete in the LA 2028 Olympics. (Getty/Canva)
Algerian female boxer Imane Khelif has hit back at Donald Trump’s attacks against the trans community, saying she’s not intimidated because she isn’t transgender.
Welterweight Khelif won a gold medal at last summer’s Olympics in Paris, but her inclusion at the Games sparked a social media storm, with outspoken personalities such as author JK Rowling and Elon Musk criticising her participation – despite the International Olympic Committee confirming she complied with their regulations.
The controversy stemmed from a 2023 disqualification after she failed an eligibility criteria test by the Russian boxing governing body. While no details were given about what standards Khelif had failed to meet, the president of the International Boxing Association, Umar Kremlev, claimed that the tests “proved [Khelif] had XY chromosomes.”
The boxer does not publicly identify as transgender, intersex or non-binary. Despite this, Trump has repeatedly labeled Khelif and fellow female boxing gold medalist Lin Yu-ting as men.
The IOC backed Khelif and Yu-ting, questioning the validity of the Russian tests, and IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said not only did she meet Olympic eligibility criteria, but also that it was “not a transgender issue“.
The Algerian boxer has now spoken out against president Trump’s attacks on the trans community, which include an executive order that prevents trans women from competing in female sports.
‘It does not intimidate me’
Khelif, who is aiming to secure a second gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, told ITV News her thoughts on Trump, who previously claimed that she had transitioned. At the time she said his words “hurt a lot”.
But now she said: “I will give you a straightforward answer: the US president issued a decision related to transgender policies in America. I am not transgender. This does not concern me and it does not intimidate me. As we say in Algeria: those who have nothing to hide should have no fear.
“The truth became clear at the Paris Olympics, the injustice was exposed and the truth was acknowledged by the Olympic committee. I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl. I was born a girl, raised as a girl and have lived my entire life as one.
“This experience has taught me a lot. I believe that if the old Imane operated at 50 per cent of her potential, then the Imane Khelif of today is even more motivated and determined. I have learned so much from this campaign against me, and what happened at the Paris Olympics was an eye-opening experience. I feel even stronger now than I was before.”
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