“Any athlete can be a victim”: Imane Khelif hits back at gender row as she denies retirement talk and vows return for LA Olympics 2028

Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer who won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has said she is not done with the sport and wants to fight again for another Olympic medal. The 26-year-old was at the center of a gender eligibility row last summer but was cleared to compete after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled she could take part in the women’s 66kg boxing event.

She now says her focus is on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Imane Khelif sets sights on Los Angeles 2028 after Paris success

Imane Khelif told La Gazzetta dello Sport that winning the gold medal in Paris gave her “extra motivation” to keep going. She said: “I have no intention of retiring. Winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics gave me extra motivation: I had to overcome many obstacles to achieve this, including harassment, and I want to continue fighting to silence those who doubt me. Thanks to my sporting achievements, my goals have grown.”

Imane Khelif has not fought since her Olympic triumph in August 2024 in Paris. Reports earlier this year claimed she had retired, but she strongly rejected those stories. She accused her former manager of betrayal, saying he spread false news about her career.She confirmed she will not compete in the upcoming World Championships, which will follow new rules requiring PCR or genetic screening tests to check eligibility.

Even though she will miss that event, Khelif insists her main goal remains Los Angeles in 2028.

Imane Khelif reflects on gender row and new World Boxing rules

At the Paris Games in 2024, Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting were both cleared by the IOC to fight in the women’s categories. This decision came even though the International Boxing Association (IBA) had disqualified them from the 2023 World Championships, saying they failed gender eligibility tests.The IOC had already removed recognition of the IBA in June 2023, and ruled that athletes could compete in women’s events if their passports identified them as female.

Speaking about the controversy, Imane Khelif said: “Unfortunately, I faced a situation that other athletes have experienced in the past and still face today. My experience at the Olympic Games shows that any athlete can be a victim. What happened was very damaging, but I managed to stay focused without being influenced by the media hype. I respect the rules as they are written. But when external pressures make everything unclear, it’s easy to fall victim to sudden and unfair decisions. This harms not only the athlete, but also the very spirit of the sport, which should be based on transparency and mutual respect.”Under the new World Boxing rules, fighters must take saliva, blood, or swab tests to prove their eligibility. Anyone considered male at birth or with differences in sexual development involving male androgenisation cannot compete in women’s events. Also Read: “Sorry America”: Martina Navratilova Joins Rennae Stubbs Joins In Heartbreaking Response To Minnesota Catholic School ShootingWorld Boxing president Boris Van Der Vorst said: “World Boxing respects the dignity of all individuals and is keen to ensure it is as inclusive as possible. Yet in a combat sport like boxing, we have a duty of care to deliver safety and competitiveness fairness, which are the key principles that have guided the development and creation of this policy.”