Iman Khelif is not afraid of intimidation from US President Donald Trump and is looking forward to defending her Olympic title in Los Angeles.
The 25-year-old Algerian boxer, who won a gold medal amid controversy at the Paris Olympics last year, has expressed her intention to repeat the feat in 2028 after President Trump wrongly claimed she was transgender.
In an interview with ITV News to be shown on Wednesday night, Khelif said: “I will give you a clear answer: the President of the United States has made a decision on transgender policy in America. I am not transgender. It has nothing to do with me and I am not afraid of it. That is my answer.”
This came after Khelif interrupted a question about her dream of repeating her success, saying: “A second gold medal, of course. In America, in Los Angeles.”
Khelif's victory in Paris, along with the triumph of Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei, has sparked discussions about gender equality that have included such high-profile figures as President Trump, Elon Musk and J.K. Rowling.
She admitted she had been “deeply affected emotionally” by the “massive media campaign” surrounding her, and noted that her mother visits the hospital almost daily as her family bears the brunt of the attacks.
The shock came after the International Olympic Committee's decision to ignore the blood test results led to Khelif being disqualified from the 2023 World Championships by the now discredited International Boxing Association.
She said: “As we say in Algeria, those who have nothing to hide should not be afraid. The truth became clear at the Paris Olympics – the injustice was exposed and later the truth was recognized by the Olympic Committee in Paris.”
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
