The boxer at the center of a gender controversy at the 2024 Paris Olympics has advanced to the final of the women’s 66 kg boxing welterweight class.

The Olympic committee has guaranteed Algerian Imane Khelif at least a silver medal, if not gold, if she defeats Chinese opponent Yang Liu on Friday (August 9).

Yesterday (August 6), the Olympian won her semi-final battle against Thai boxer Janjaem Suwannapheng by majority decision.

Khelif has now addressed the media and issued a forced speech.

She stated, “I don’t care what anyone says about me in the dispute.

“All that matters to me is that I stay on track and give my employees the performance they deserve.” I believe I’m a talented guy, and this is a gift for all Algerians.”

At Roland Garros’ Phillippe-Chatrier Court, her compatriots were singing her name and raising several Algerian flags.

Khelif’s recent success follows his exclusion from the 2023 World Championships due to an unclear gender eligibility test, despite being born and raised as a female.

The disqualification of Khelif and fellow Olympian Lin Yu-ting, a Taiwanese boxer representing Chinese Taipei, occurred.

Umar Kremlev, head of the IBA and a friend of Vladimir Putin, said that the test ‘confirmed’ they had XY chromosomes.

However, it’s crucial to note that the IBA lost its Olympic qualifications five years ago.

The Olympic Committee earlier reaffirmed Khelif’s eligibility to compete in the Games, stating that ‘every individual has the right to exercise sport without discrimination’.

Despite facing international scrutiny, both athletes managed to secure a medal at this summer’s Olympics, set to take place in Paris for the first time in 100 years.

While the gender divide was always evident before the competition, it intensified after she defeated Italy’s Angela Carini in 46 seconds, forcing Carini to concede.

Since then, Khelif’s father has spoken out on the controversy surrounding his daughter’s Olympic debut.

During an appearance with French television station BFMTV, Omar Khelif gave viewers his daughter’s birth certificate as proof that she was born a female.