Irish Boxer Amy Broadhurst Stands Up For Imane Khelif Amid Olympic Gender Eligibility Controversy

Photo: Instagram/Amy Broadhurst

Irish boxer Amy Broadhurst, who defeated Imane Khelif at the 2022 World Championships, has spoken out in support of Khelif amid a gender controversy at the Olympics.

Khelif was disqualified from the women’s World Championships last year just before her gold-medal match. The International Boxing Association (IBA) ruled she did not meet their eligibility criteria for women’s events, which do not allow athletes with male XY chromosomes. Another boxer, Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan, also lost her bronze medal for the same reason.

The IBA did not say why Khelif and Lin failed the tests but clarified that they did not undergo testosterone tests. Neither boxer identifies as transgender or intersex.

Photo: Instagram/Amy Broadhurst

Despite losing recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over governance issues, the IBA still runs the boxing competition in Paris. The IOC allowed both women to compete in the Olympics.

In a recent match, Khelif defeated Italy’s Angela Carini in just 46 seconds, causing Carini to leave the ring in tears with a suspected broken nose. Carini later said she had never been punched so hard.


This controversy has led to online hate against Khelif, with figures like JK Rowling and Elon Musk opposing her participation.

Broadhurst defended Khelif on social media, saying, “I don’t think she has done anything to cheat. It’s the way she was born and that’s out of her control. The fact that she has been beaten by nine females before says it all.”

The IOC stated that their eligibility rules were based on those from the Tokyo Games in 2021 and cannot be changed during a competition. They also expressed sadness over the abuse the athletes are receiving and emphasized the right to practice sport without discrimination.

Khelif is set to fight again on Saturday, with a win guaranteeing her at least a bronze medal and a chance to compete for silver or gold.

Read Next: Italian Boxer Angela Carini Apologizes To Opponent Imane Khelif

Source: Yahoo Sports 

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