Imane Khelif fired a broadside at Donald Trump, telling the US President she is not intimidated by him and that she intends to defend her Olympic title in Los Angeles in 2028.
The Algerian boxer, 25, won gold in Paris last year in the women's welterweight division amid a gender eligibility storm that shows no signs of abating.
In February, Trump falsely called Khelif had transitioned from a man and signed an executive order banning transgender girls and women from competing in women's sports in the United States.
Speaking to ITV News in an interview to be broadcast on Wednesday evening, Khelif said: “I will give you a straightforward answer: the US President issued a decision related to transgender policies in America. I am not transgender. This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me. That is my response.”
That came after Khelif interrupted a question about her dream of repeating her triumph, saying: “Second gold medal, of course. In America, Los Angeles.”
Khelif’s triumph in Paris, along with that of Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, sparked a gender eligibility debate to which high-profile figures such as President Trump, Elon Musk and JK Rowling contributed.
In November, the International Olympic Committee said Khelif was taking legal action over media reports allegedly detailing her leaked medical records.
A report published in French magazine Le Correspondant claimed to have seen a medical report about the Algerian. The IOC said the report was based on “unverified documents whose origin cannot be confirmed”.
Khelif revealed she was “deeply affected mentally” by the “major media campaign” surrounding her, and said her mother was attending hospital almost daily as her family shared the brunt of the attacks.
The furore followed an International Olympic Committee (IOC) decision to dismiss the blood tests which had prompted the now discredited International Boxing Association (IBA) to disqualify Khelif from the World Championships in 2023.
She said: “As we say in Algeria, those who have nothing to hide should have no fear. The truth became clear at the Paris Olympics — the injustice was exposed and later, the truth was acknowledged by the Olympic Committee in Paris.”
In February, Khelif condemned the IBA after the organisation made fresh claims about her gender and said it was to take legal action against the IOC over the inclusion of Khelif and Lin at last year's Games.
She added: “For me, I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl. I was born a girl, raised as a girl, and have lived my entire life as one.
“I have competed in many tournaments, including the Tokyo Olympics and other major competitions, as well as four World Championships. All of these took place before I started winning and earning titles. But once I began achieving success, the campaigns against me started.”
The future of boxing faced uncertainty following the Paris Games as the IOC deliberated over which body should oversee the sport at the Olympics.
The boxing tournaments at the last two Games were organised by the IOC, which suspended the IBA in 2019 over governance issues and then withdrew recognition for it completely in 2023.
However, the IOC's executive board recommended that boxing remains part of the programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, following an earlier decision on February 27 to recognise World Boxing as the sport’s international federation.
The executive board’s decision is expected to be ratified at the IOC Session in Greece on Wednesday.
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
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The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
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if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
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Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
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Starfield
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AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
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Bio
Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind.
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Henrik Stenson's finishes at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:
2006 - 2
2007 - 8
2008 - 2
2009 - MC
2010 - 21
2011 - 42
2012 - MC
2013 - 23
2014 - MC
2015 - MC
2016 - 3
2017 - 8
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
