Olympic champion boxer Imane Khelif insists she has not retired, accusing her former manager of ‘betrayal’ after he falsely claimed she had called it a day.
Although the gender row fighter will be skipping the upcoming World Championships after the introduction of sex testing, she shut down any notion that she has stopped competing for good.
Nasser Yesfah, who used to represent her, had been reported in French newspaper Nice Matin as saying she had hung up her gloves, which was then denied by gold medal winner.
Khelif was one of two boxers at the centre of a gender eligibility storm at last year’s Paris 2024 Olympics. The other was Lin Yu-ting who will be competing at the World Championships in Liverpool this September.
Khelif has not registered for that competition and Algeria will be sending a replacement instead.
She had been deemed eligible to compete at the Olympics, despite the International Boxing Association previously disqualifying the fighter and Taiwan‘s Yu-ting from their World Championships in 2023.
Imane Khelif has revealed her makeover earlier this week with the Olympic boxing champion still yet to return to the ring and skipping the upcoming World Championships
Imane Khelif won Olympic gold in Paris last year amid a gender eligibility row which overshadowed the competition
The former governing body for the sport claimed Khelif and Lin had failed gender eligibility tests, leading to their disqualification.
Both fighters would ultimately go on to win gold medals in women’s boxing events at Paris 2024, with Olympic bosses coming under fire amid the controversy.
Following her ex-manager’s comments, Khelif wrote on Facebook: ‘I would like to make it clear to the public that the reports of my retirement from boxing are false.
She then said Yesfah had ‘betrayed (her) trust and (her) country with his false and malicious statements’.
‘This person no longer represents me in any way,’ she said.
‘I have never announced my retirement from boxing. I remain committed to my sporting career, I train regularly and I maintain my physical condition between Algeria and Qatar in preparation for upcoming events.’
Since the Olympics, the new governing body World Boxing have confirmed fighters will be required to undergo mandatory sex screening to compete in their events.
Khelif skipped her comeback event in the weeks following the announcement.
Khelif was pictured alongside Algerian presenter and podcast host Nassima Djaffar Bey
The alleged 2023 medical test that claimed the boxer was ‘biologically male’ was leaked in June, leading to calls for the boxer to be stripped of the Olympic gold medal.
A report on the medical test allegedly seen by 3 Wire Sports said that ‘chromsome analysis reveals male karotype’ – an XY chromosome pair.
The new rules brought in by World Boxing state that fighters must take a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) or functional medical equivalent genetic screening test to certify their eligibility to fight.
These tests are carried out through testing saliva, blood or a nasal or mouth swab.
Those deemed to be male at birth with a Y chromosome or with a difference where male androgenization has taken place, will not be eligible to compete with women.
The president of World Boxing, 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.’
On Tuesday, Khelif showed her latest makeover after being pictured with television host and podcaster Nassima Djaffar Bey.
Djaffar Bey shared a photo on Instagram with Khelif, who appeared with make-up and flowing hair, with the caption ‘Always a pleasure’.
Khelif last week admitted to going through a ‘difficult phase’ in a cryptic Instagram post, which was shared on the one year anniversary of winning Olympic gold.
The boxer has been engulfed in controversy since news of her alleged failed test emerged during the Olympics
Khelif admitted going through a ‘difficult phase’ on the anniversary of winning the gold medal
‘It was an unforgettable moment a moment where my tears mixed with the awe of pride, a moment where my country’s flag soared high, and I held my head up with the strength of a boxer and the heart of a human,’ Khelif wrote.
‘Today, on the anniversary of that triumph, I’m going through a difficult phase filled with challenges, silence, and waiting…
‘But despite everything, the spirit that fought for gold still beats within me.
‘I still believe that every fall is a prelude to a stronger rise, and that every delay carries within it a test of faith and willpower.
‘True strength lies not only in victory, but in perseverance against all odds.
‘I am Imane Khelif a champion yesterday, resilient today, and determined to return tomorrow.
‘Thank you to everyone who still believes in me… And to myself, thank you for never giving up.’