Hungarian Conservative

The case of the Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was undoubtedly one of the biggest scandals of the summer, dominating headlines in major media outlets for weeks. Hungarian Conservative sat down with former Olympian Zsuzsa Csisztu to examine the controversial athlete’s rise and its impact on women’s sports from the perspective of a female athlete.

A recent opinion poll has revealed that the majority of Hungarians would not have allowed Algerian boxer Imane Khelif to compete in the Olympics. However, Hungarian society is divided on how to address the participation of intersex athletes in the competition.

The director of the Algerian Olympic and Sports Committee claims that the ‘Zionist lobby’ is trying to break controversial boxer Imane Khelif’s spirit in what he calls an ‘attempt to stop an Arab or Muslim girl from rising in the ranks of female boxing’. Khelif made headlines after allegations emerged that she has XY chromosomes, a characteristic of biological males, while competing in the 66 kg women’s category at the Paris Olympics.

Luca Hámori is scheduled to box against Imane Khelif of Algeria next. Khelif had been previously disqualified by the International Boxing Association from competing in women’s events for failure to meet undisclosed eligibility criteria. Khelif was nevertheless allowed to compete in the Paris Olympics, drawing international outrage.