Megan Rapinoe Empathizes With Imane Khelif Amid Controversial ‘Gender Row’ in Women’s Boxing at Paris Olympics

It only took 46 seconds in a boxing match for this Olympics’ biggest controversy. After the quarter-final of women’s boxing on Thursday, many wrongly claimed Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was a biological male who underwent surgery to change gender after her vanquished opponent, Angela Carini, tearfully left the ring. Meanwhile, the Olympic Committee destroyed these claims, confirming that Khelif is a woman and is eligible to be in the games in Paris. USWNT legend and a distinguished champion of LGBTQIA+ rights, Megan Rapinoe was one of the few athletes who took the 25-year-old Algerian’s side.

Megan Rapinoe is so invested in the cause of gender and sexual minorities that she never fails to critique transphobic incidents in sports. Rapinoe, who has actively been following the Olympic games, took to Instagram to show support for Imane Khelif. Rapinoe shared on her Instagram story a post from Edge of Sports, which sided with the Algerian boxer. “Solidarity with Algerian boxer Imane Khelif who deserves so much better than this tsunami of racism, misogyny, and transphobia being heaped upon her by a coterie of fascists, right-wingers, and useful idiots,” Edge of Sports wrote in its caption.

The page added, “It’s also an example – like with sprinter Caster Semenya – of how transphobia also oppresses cis women who don’t conform to a bigot’s standards of what a woman is supposed to look like.”

Wrong claims about Khelif being male took center stage after it was discovered that the Russia-led International Boxing Association disqualified her from participating in women’s matches last year. She failed to clear an IBA test about testosterone levels at that time. However, the 25-year-old reportedly has differences in sexual development. Meanwhile, the IOC also confirmed that Khelif is a woman and is eligible to be in women’s matches. Yet, the sporting world still lacks conviction about the Algerian’s gender.

Imane Khelif’s semi-final opponent continues the gender row at the Olympics

Rapinoe is supporting Khelif. AC Milan’s Ismael Bennacer is with his fellow Algerian athlete. Angela Carini says she regrets not shaking hands with Khelif after losing to her. But that’s not the case for everyone, especially her next opponent. Anna Luca Hamori, who will face Khelif in tonight’s welterweight semi-final, said she still thinks the latter is not eligible to be in the women’s game.

“In my humble opinion, I don’t think it’s fair that this contestant can compete in the women’s category,” said Anna Luca Hamori. Quite a notable bunch of fans have fired back at the Hungarian, demanding the Olympic Committee disqualify her for her comments against Khelif. While Hamori’s controversial claims remain, fans’ call for her disqualification proves that netizens have largely realized it was wrong of them to make false claims about Khelif.