Khelif, the gold boxer in Paris: “I don’t leave boxing, lot for women”

Imane Khelif knows how to defend himself. He learned soon, at fifteen, when he fell in love with boxing for the first time. And he continued to do it always, parrying controversy, attacks, tied disputes to the rumors that questioned his sex And at the exclusions, they also arrived this year, for the non -passing of gender suitability tests. But Imane has found her voice in sport and today, with a gold medal for the neck conquered at the Paris games, the Algerian boxer seems ready for anything. Starting right from his love for boxing. The engine of everything.

In the last few weeks there has been a long time for his possible retreat from boxing. What’s right?

“Nothing, I have no intention of withdrawing me. The victory of the gold medal at the Paris Olympics gave me further charge: I faced many challenges to achieve this success, including bullying, and I want to continue fighting to silence those who doubt me. With my sports goals achieved, my goals have grown. I want another medal and I want to help create more opportunities for women in sport”.

Just over a year has passed since the gold of Paris: what remember about those days of controversy and successes?

“The victory of the gold medal is a moment that will remain with me forever, a huge goal that cannot be compared to an athlete or, at least, for me. Especially knowing all the work and sacrifices done to get to get what I dreamed of”.

How did your passion for boxing come about?

“I always liked sport, especially football, then at some point I realized that what I really loved was boxing: I remember the first time in a gym, the first time in the ring and the feeling of seeing my gloves before wearing them. It was the beginning of a new chapter of my life, the discovery of a world that I did not know”.

Did your parents support him?

“No, they were initially against the idea that I practiced boxing, especially my father. We come from a small town and a girl in Algeria to do boxing was unusual. Although this mother of mine supported me and with time, seeing my progress, my father also started supporting me. At the beginning, however, it was very hard, even economically”.

What sacrifices did he have to do?

“Every day, to be able to train, I traveled ten kilometers on foot and to afford it I sold bread, aluminum and iron on the street. Then there were hard moments even at mental level, because practicing high -level sports always requires dedication and great sacrifices. When, however, a thought of surrendering and giving me my mind crossed me I knew it was the right time to push even more hard”.

At the Olympics, the controversy arising regarding his participation generated a huge media clamor. How did that part of the games experience?

“Unfortunately, what I faced is something that other athletes have faced in the past and that they have to face continuously today. My experience at the Olympics shows that any athlete can become a victim and what happened was very harmful but I managed to remain concentrated without making me influenced by the sensational that was around”.

This year it was excluded from the Eindhoven Box Cup and the World Championships in Serbia because for the International Boxing Association “does not satisfy the criteria of suitability due to too high levels of testosterone”. This lack of clarity regarding tests, and consequently of security on his future, how does he influence his career?

“As an athlete I dedicate all my life to training and preparation and respect for the rules as they are written. But when external pressures make it unleashed, it becomes easy to be subject to sudden and unjust decisions. This does not damage only the athlete, but also the very spirit of sport, which should be based on transparency and mutual respect”.

Do you think your case has changed sport?

“Of course. I think it has helped to shed light on the challenges that women face in sport and the injustices that sometimes suffer due to discrimination. My experience has shown that remaining firm and clinging to the truth can eventually bring to success, and that those who hurt women will never break their determination. Hard work and dedication can bring justice and change the sporting scenario for the better”.

Did he have the opportunity to speak with his opponents who, during the games, did not show her solidarity?

“No, there was no way. However, I always remain open to dialogue and communication, because I believe that sport is a bridge of closeness and understanding, whatever positions or opinions are”.

How much work thinks there is still to be done to sensitize the public on this theme?

“There is still a lot to do to raise public awareness. A real change requires time, continuous effort and the union of the voices of athletes with those of the institutions that support them”.

Will the next Olympics be different?

“I am optimistic that the impact will be different, because the discussion we started during the latest games will leave their mark and make people more aware and more open to understand the reality of what happened, creating a fair sporty environment and fair”.