Gold medalist Imane Khelif celebrated on return to Algeria

Controversy did not leave Imane Khelif behind when he returned to Algeria.

The gold medal-winning boxer returned from the Paris Olympics on Monday and, along with her fellow medalists from Algeria, was welcomed by Algiers’ Minister of Youth and Sports, Abderrahmane Hammad.

According to APS, the country’s public press service, they will also meet President Abdelmadjid Tebboune later this week.

The 25-year-old Khelif found herself at the centre of Olympic controversy after winning her opening match against Italy’s Angela Carini in 46 seconds.

Carini’s post-match comments — she claimed she had never been hit so hard and refused to shake Khelif’s hand — sparked a firestorm of questions about Khelif’s gender and her suitability to fight in the women’s tournament.

The Italian later said she regretted her comments.

The Russian IBA had previously disqualified Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting, who won gold in the women’s 57kg class, for failing entry tests. However, the umbrella organization has not been transparent about those tests.

The IOC, which has since distanced itself from the IBA, supported Khelif throughout the Olympic tournament, defeating the likes of Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori, Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng and China’s Liu Yang on her way to gold.

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“I am fully qualified to participate in this competition,” Khelif said after her victory on Friday. “I am a woman like any other woman. I was born as a woman, I live as a woman and I am qualified.”

Despite the controversy and criticism surrounding Khelif and her journey, she remained undaunted.

“For eight years this was my dream and now I am an Olympic champion and a gold medalist,” Khelif said. “(The control) also gives my success a special touch because of those attacks.”

On Sunday, Khelif filed a lawsuit with authorities in Paris, claiming she was the victim of online abuse.

“We are at the Olympics to perform as athletes, and I hope we don’t see similar attacks in the future,” she said.