Algerian boxer Imane Khelif wins gold at Olympics overshadowed by gender row

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00:00Iman Khalif has gone for gold, beating China's Yang Lui for the welterweight boxing title,

00:07in spite of the controversy that has overshadowed boxing events in Paris.

00:13I am a woman, like any woman. I was born a woman and I have lived as a woman. But there

00:18are enemies to success and they can't digest my success.

00:23Early on in the Games, news emerged that the Algerian athlete allegedly failed a gender

00:27eligibility test in 2023 due to certain chromosomes, a test result that the International Olympic

00:34Committee disregards.

00:36Khalif was disqualified from last year's World Championships by the International Boxing

00:40Association.

00:42The Olympic Committee's decision to allow those who failed the test to compete in the

00:45women's division sparked debate, amidst heightened scrutiny around women's sport and transgender

00:51athletes.

00:53The tests themselves, the process of the tests, the ad hoc nature of the tests are not legitimate

01:00and you'll also expect me to tell you that I'm not going to discuss the individual intimate

01:05details of athletes in public, which I think is pretty disgraceful for those who have leaked

01:11that material. Frankly, to be put in that position must be awful.

01:17Women must be allowed to take part in women's competitions. And the two are women.

01:28In the face of a fierce gender debate both on and offline, Iman's case has led to a surge

01:33of support at home in Algeria.

01:36From the country's president to aspiring athletes from her hometown.

01:42Iman is a woman. She was born a girl, lived as a girl and boxes like a woman. Criticism

01:49and attacks don't affect her. We say to her, continue your career and pursue your dream,

01:55which is to win the gold medal and first place.

01:58A dream which has now become reality.

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