Female boxer suspected of being a man becomes 2024 Olympic champion

Imane Khelif overcame a major gender controversy to win gold in front of a roaring crowd at the Philippe Chatrier Arena. The 25-year-old beat China's Yang Liu on points in the women's 66kg final to win Olympic gold.

Scores of Algerian fans packed the 15,000-seat Philippe Chatrier arena, as they came to watch one of the most controversial athletes at this year's Olympics compete.

Standing at 1.79m tall, Khelif had the height and strength advantage over the three opponents she easily defeated en route to the final.

Cheers erupted as Khelif entered the arena. The Algerian controlled most of the first round, unloading a barrage of punches on Yang. The second round began in a similar fashion, with Khelif’s punches coming in stronger, more powerful, and more menacing.

The Algerian was ahead on all the judges' scorecards going into the third round and needed only to avoid serious trouble to win gold. The two embraced as the final bell rang and Khelif's comprehensive victory was confirmed. She was carried around the arena on the shoulders of a member of the Algerian team.

Khelif became the first Algerian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in 12 years. Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting have been at the centre of a gender controversy at the Olympics. Lin will also compete in the women's 57kg final on August 10.

Khelif and Lin both competed at the 2020 Olympics, but there was no controversy and neither won a medal. Both were disqualified from last year's world championships, organised by the International Boxing Association (IBA), but were allowed to compete in Paris.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been monitoring the sport at the Olympics because of concerns about the IBA's management of boxing, including questions about finances, ethics and more. The gender controversy erupted in the French capital when Khelif defeated Angela Carini in 46 seconds in the opening match. The Italian broke down in tears and withdrew after suffering a serious injury to her nose.

The IBA president added to the gender controversy earlier this week by claiming Khelif and Lin had undergone “genetic testing that shows they are men”. But the IOC has defended both boxers, with president Thomas Bach saying they were born and raised women, and their passports clearly state so.