Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif Faces Gender Controversy as She Aims for Olympic Gold
Algerian pugilist Imane Khelif, at the heart of an Olympic gender eligibility dispute, aims for the top prize in Paris on Friday as Thierry Henry strives to lead France’s soccer players to victory. With just three days left in the Games, there is a full athletics lineup at the Stade de France. The boxing tournament has been overshadowed by a contentious debate over whether Khelif and Taiwanese fighter Lin Yu-ting should be permitted to participate in the women’s division.
Khelif and Lin were barred from last year’s global championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA) after failing undisclosed gender eligibility assessments but she and Lin were given the green light to compete in Paris.
The International Olympic Committee is overseeing the boxing matches in the French capital, which is taking place at Roland Garros, the home of French tennis.
The 25-year-old Khelif and Lin both competed in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago but there was no controversy back then and neither of them clinched a medal.
On Friday, Algeria’s Khelif faces off against China’s Yang Liu in the 66kg final while Lin will be in action on Saturday in a different weight class.
“I am akin to all athletes, I am here to realize my aspiration,” she expressed.
The penultimate night of track and field events showcases the men’s and women’s 4x100m relays, the men’s 400m hurdles, the women’s 400m, and the conclusive event of the heptathlon, the 800m.
US sprint sensation Noah Lyles was projected for a sprint hat-trick in Paris after triumphing in the 100m earlier this week but he could only secure bronze in his favored 200m on Thursday.
Shortly after the race, won by Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, Lyles disclosed that he had tested positive for Covid, mentioning that the illness had “taken its toll”.
The American subsequently shared on social media that his Games were probably over, but the US still remain the frontrunners to seize the gold in the sprint relay.
In Friday’s women’s 10,000m final, Dutch athlete Sifan Hassan will endeavor to safeguard her title after falling short in her pursuit of an unprecedented long-distance hat-trick.
Defending champion and record-holder Karsten Warholm is favored to retain his crown in the men’s 400m hurdles.
Henry ‘goosebumps’
Henry’s France confront Spain in the men’s soccer final at the Parc des Princes.
Henry, one of France’s legendary players, has steered his nation to the brink of their second soccer gold, four decades after securing the championship in Los Angeles.
They have only conceded a solitary goal in five matches and Henry confesses he is unwilling for his Olympic dream to conclude.
“I believe it’s going to be challenging to wake up,” he remarked. “Every night I watch and get goosebumps when I see guys triumph.”
Spain rallied from behind to defeat Morocco 2-1 in their semi-final in Marseille in front of a hostile crowd, which will boost their confidence in handling the pressure in the French capital.
“It’s a different atmosphere that I will relish,” stated Fermin Lopez, who has netted four goals at the Olympics after aiding Spain in claiming Euro 2024.
“In any circumstance, we can surmount anything. Now we aim to secure the gold.”
In diving, China is aiming for gold in the women’s 3m springboard as they edge closer to a clean sweep in Paris, with triumphs in all six events so far.
Defending champions the Netherlands confront China in the women’s hockey final, pursuing their fourth title in five Games after the Dutch men’s squad clinched gold.
History will be created when the first Olympics medals are bestowed in the breaking competition held at La Concorde.
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