Watch the world Iman Khalif Winning the Olympic gold medal in women's boxing at the Paris Olympics. Then I turned to Google to search for answers to many, many confusing questions.
Google released “A year in searchData revealed this week that the most searched athlete on the platform in 2024 is Khalifa. A successor has been searched for by more than famous athletes Simone Biles, Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.
The Algerian boxer sparked public controversy by participating as a woman in the Paris Olympics even though she was born with XY chromosomes associated with males.
Khalif's inclusion and gold medal run was one of the biggest controversies in this year's controversy-filled Summer Olympics. The latest Google search data suggests that it may have been the biggest sporting controversy in the world over the past year.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Algerian Iman Khelif, left, knocks out Italian Angela Carini in the preliminary round of the women's 66kg round of 16 boxing match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Stade Nord de Paris, in Villepinte on August 1, 2024. (Mohamed Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images)
The moment that first caught the attention of millions was when Khalif was seen punching the Italian boxer Angela Carini In the face with irregular force and force that appears in women's sports. Carini withdrew from the match within just 46 seconds, crying, and cried about how much pain she felt afterwards.
“I entered the ring to fight,” Carini said in Paris, via the Italian news agency ANSA. “I didn't give up, but one punch was too painful. So I said enough is enough.”
Those who went to find out more about Khalif after that moment on Google afterwards probably learned of previous instances where the boxer had previously been disqualified from international competition.
Khalif was disqualified from the 2023 tournament before the gold medal match due to gender eligibility issues. International Boxing Association (IBA) President Omar Kremlev issued a statement to Russia's TASS agency about why Khalifa was disqualified.
“Based on DNA tests, we identified a number of athletes who tried to deceive their colleagues by pretending to be women. According to the test results, it was proven that they had XY chromosomes. These athletes were excluded from the competition,” Kremlev said. .
The Algerian Olympic Committee said at the time that Khalif was excluded for “medical reasons.” Algerian media reported that Khalif was excluded due to high levels of testosterone, according to Reuters. Khalif claimed that the exclusion was part of a “conspiracy” to prevent Algeria from winning the gold medal.
“There are some countries that did not want Algeria to win a gold medal,” Khalif told the Algerian Al-Nahar channel. “This is a big conspiracy and we will not remain silent about it.”
The International Olympic Committee and its president Thomas Bach strongly defended Khalifa's inclusion, insisting that the boxer complied with all the necessary qualifications to compete in the Olympics as a woman. In a statement issued on August 1, the IOC claimed that Khalif “adheres to the competition eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations established by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU).”
Iba Issue a statement Before the Khalifa match, he explained the reason for the fighter’s disqualification, claiming that Khalifa had undergone two tests, in 2022 and 2023, and failed in both.
“Our committees carefully reviewed and approved the decision taken during the World Championships,” the International Boxing Federation said. “While the AIBA remains committed to ensuring competitive integrity at all our events, we express concern about the inconsistent application of eligibility criteria by other sporting organisations, including those overseeing the Olympic Games. The various IOC regulations on these matters, which “The International Boxing Association in question does not participate, raising serious questions about the fairness of the competition and the safety of athletes.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Iman Khelif of the Algerian team celebrates a victory over Anna-Luca Hamori of the Hungary team after their women's 66 kg quarterfinal match on day eight of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the North Paris Arena on August 3, 2024 in Paris. (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
The controversy has become so topical around the world that President-elect Donald Trump commented on it during a rally in August, in reference to Khalifa's match against Carini.
“Now all you have to do is look at his boxers,” Trump said. Trump said of Khalifa: “This little Italian girl, the boxing champion, was hit so hard that she didn’t know what hit her. She’s a changed person.” “He was a good boxer. She (Carini) didn't even go down. He hit her with two punches and she said, 'I'm out.'”
After Trump used footage of Khalifa's Olympic boxing matches in campaign ads in which he pledged to end transgender inclusion in women's sports, Khalifa spoke out against Trump.
Khalif said, through his account on the social networking site “Twitter”: “I saw that there are many politicians and presidents speaking without a source, and this is a strange thing, because they make statements without basis, without reality.” Telegraph.
Khalif has sued several people, including Elon Musk and JK Rowling, who criticized the athlete and the International Olympic Committee for their inclusion, alleging “acts of aggravated cyber harassment” based on gender.
Khalif He threatened another lawsuit In November, a French journalist was charged over a report that claimed the boxer had testicles.
“We will meet the French journalist in court,” the Algerian athlete said on NDTV.
Follow Fox News Digital Sports coverage on X, And subscribe to Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter.
