An Olympic boxing competition that briefly seemed to be about questions about gender, eligibility and international politics proved on Tuesday to be simply about sports, with one fighter beating another without inquiry or controversy.
Imane Khelif of Algeria, the boxer whose eligibility was questioned after her first-round victory and then vigorously defended by the International Olympic Committee, won her weight division’s semifinal bout by unanimous decision. She will fight for a gold medal at the Paris Games on Friday.
Khelif beat her opponent, Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand, through precise and effective striking and quick footwork. After the result was announced, she celebrated in the middle of the ring, joyfully raising her hand.
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“I am very happy,” she said through an interpreter, standing with the red, green and white Algerian flag draped on her shoulders. “I’ve worked eight years for these Olympics and I’m very proud of this moment.” The Algerian president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, congratulated Khelif on social media.
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The uproar surrounding Khelif, 25, had its roots at last year’s boxing world championships in India, where she and another boxer, Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, were ruled ineligible to compete after they underwent unspecified blood tests. The International Boxing Association, which ran the tournament and disqualified the fighters, never fully explained its decisions, saying that Khelif and Lin “did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognized test.”
