Imane Khelif, di Algerian boxer wey her gender bin cause kasala don win gold for di Paris 2024 Olympics.
For her reaction, she say di “attack” ova her gender eligibility give her victory “special taste”.
Imane Khelif win Olympic women boxing gold one year afta dem disqualify her from di World Championships.
Di Algerian wey dem ban based on report say she fail gender eligibility test compete for Paris, and she beat Chinese world champion Yang Liu by undisputed decision ova five rounds to win welterweight gold.
“I dey fully qualified to take part for dis competition,”25-year-old Khelif tok. “I be woman like any oda woman.
“Dem born me as woman. I dey live as woman. I compete as woman – doubt no dey about dat.”
Khelif tok say she be victim of “bullying” and di International Boxing Association (IBA) “hate me and I really no know why”.
For di arena, plenty Algerian supporters bin hail her as she enta di ring, dem wave dia green, white and red flags.
Khelif dominate di fight and bin dey show-off as di final bell ring, she dey dance as she know say she don win, before her and Yang share warm embrace.
Wen dem confam di result, Yang raise Khelis arm for air – e dey different to di scenes wey happun afta di Algerian opening fight against Italy Angela Carini.
Lin Yu-ting, wey dem also ban last year under di same ruling, go fight Poland Julia Szeremeta for di featherweight final on Saturday.
Khelif bin get tears for her eyes and Lin and bronze medallists Chen Nien-chin of Chinese Taipei and Thailan Janjaem Suwannapheng hail her as dem play di Algerian national anthem.
- Who be Imane Khelif wey scata Italian opponent Angela Carini in 46 seconds for Paris Olympic boxing bout
- How much money you dey go house with if you win Olympic gold medal?
- Why dem disqualify Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on di morning of her gold medal fight
- Nigerian Cyclist Ese Ukpeseraye really borrow bike to race for Paris Olympics?
How we reach hia?
Carini abandon di first-round bout wit Khelif afta 46 seconds, she tok say she gatz “preserve” her life.
Khelif, wey previous best result na world silver for 2022, follow dat bout wit convincing, unanimous-decision victories to reach di final.
Dis na tougher bout – Yang representation na step up – but e prove say na anoda clear victory.
Yang suppose face Khelif for di final of last year World Championship – di title wey Wang later win – but IBA disqualify Khelif bifor dem meet.
Di IBA say Khelif and Lin “fail to meet di eligibility criteria to participate for di women competition, as e dey laid out for di IBA regulations”.
Di International Olympic Committee (IOC), wey dey run di boxing events for di Olympics, bin allow dem to compete, dem raise doubt about di test and strongly condemn di IBA, dem insist say dem born and raise Khelif and Lin as “women”.
Earlier on Friday, president Thomas Bach say di IOC ” no like di uncertainty” but suggest say no “scientifically solid system” to “identify men and women”.
‘Stop bullying’
Khelif say na “enemies of success” criticise am.
“Dat also give my success one special taste becos of dis attacks,” she tok.
One chaotic news conference wey IBA hold last week clear di confusion around Khelif and Lin bans.
Oga patapata, Chris Roberts tok say di two of dem bin do “chromosome tests”, while e be like say president Umar Kremlev suggest say na di test determine di fighters’ testosterone levels.
Di BBC no fit determine wetin di eligibility tests consist of.
For 2019, IOC bin comot Russian-led IBA of dia status as amateur boxing governing body sake of fears ova dia governance and regulation.
“Dem sabi me veri well,” Khelif tok. “Dem know wetin I dey capable, how I don develop ova di years, but now dem no dey recognised any more.
“Dem hate me and I really no know why.”
Khelif tok say she don send one “single message” wit her gold – dat her “dignity and honour dey above everitin else”.
“My message to di whole world be say, make dem commit to Olympic principles and make dem avoid bullying,” she tok.
“Dis na message of di Olympic values.
“I hope pipo go stop bullying and commit to di Olympic charter. We come Olympic to perform as athletes. I hope we no go see similar attacks in di future.”
Wetin pipo dey tok?
Many Khelif and Lin opponents plus dia coaching teams no dey happy wit wetin happun.
Immediately afta she lose to Khelif, Carini say “e no dey right”, although she later toksorry for how she handle di moments afta di fight. Her coach im bin don advise her say make she no fight, as pipo don tell her say make she “no follow man fight.”
Bifor Khelif second-round fight, opponent Anna Luca Hamori from Hungary tok say “I no tink e dey fair”, while di Hungarian Boxing Association protest about Khelif inclusion. Afta di fight Hamori wish Khelif good luck.
Thailand Janjaem Suwannapheng say afta her semi-final defeat: “She be woman but veri strong.”
Two of Lin opponents make ‘X’ gestures – wey intend to represent female chromosomes – for inside di ring afta defeat.
Bulgaria Svetlana Kamenova Staneva leave di arena saying “no, no, no” and make di ‘X’ sign.
Bifor di fight, she say Lin presence “no dey good for boxing”, while her boxing federation say dem “strongly” oppose Lin and Khelif participation for Paris 2024.
Afta she lose to Lin for di semi-finals, Turkey Esra Yildiz Kahraman make di X’ sign for di centre of di ring.
- How Nigeria miss out on potential Olympic silver
- Nigerian Cyclist Ese Ukpeseraye really borrow bike to race for Paris Olympics?
- Who be Imane Khelif wey scata Italian opponent Angela Carini in 46 seconds for Paris Olympic boxing bout
