Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif has issued a bold response to former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding her potential participation in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, amid ongoing controversy surrounding her gender eligibility.
The Algerian boxer, who clinched gold in the welterweight division at the Paris Olympics, faced intense scrutiny after being disqualified from the 2023 world championships over disputed gender eligibility test claims. The situation escalated when prominent figures, including Trump, Elon Musk, and JK Rowling, publicly criticized her participation in women’s competition.
“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,” Khelif told ITV in an exclusive interview.
Trump, who signed an executive order entitled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” recently described Khelif as a “male boxer” who had “transitioned” and “stole the women’s gold medal after brutalizing his female opponent.”
Demonstrating renewed determination, Khelif stated, “I feel even stronger now than I was before…. if the old Imane operated at 50 percent of her potential, then the Imane Khalif of today is even more motivated and determined.”
The controversy has taken a personal toll on the athlete and her family. “When I saw that even heads of state, famous figures, and former athletes were speaking about me without having verified facts, it shocked me,” she said. “It affected me mentally, as well as my family. Even my mother was deeply affected —she was going to the hospital almost every day.”
Khelif has filed a criminal complaint over alleged cyberbullying, reportedly naming both JK Rowling and Elon Musk. The athlete faced renewed scrutiny in November when an unverified leaked report, compiled by French and Algerian endocrinologists, claimed she possessed male characteristics. Khelif threatened legal action against the French journalist who published the report and has consistently maintained she is female, with her father producing her birth certificate confirming she was born female.
“I have learned so much from this campaign against me, and what happened at the Paris Olympics was an eye-opening experience,” Khelif reflected, adding that her gold medal victory was “the best response after all the bullying.”
