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Former competitive swimmer and activist Riley Gaines shared a strong message ahead of Imane Khelif's participation in the 2025 Eindhoven Box Cup. Khelif gained international recognition by winning a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics in the women's 66 kg (welterweight) boxing event. The victory, however, generated questions from many conservative figures about the fairness of the transgender athlete's participation in the event.
Gaines graduated from the University of Kentucky, where she earned 12 All-American honors. She is also a five-time SEC Champion and a SEC record-holder in the butterfly event. She became an outspoken advocate against the inclusion of biological males in female sports after she tied for fifth place with Lia Thomas, a transgender athlete, in the 2022 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships. She is also the host of the 'Gaines for Girls' podcast.
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In a post shared on X, Gaines shared a strong message about Khelif's gold medal victory at the Paris 2024 Games, where she wrote:
"Still the same male who stole a women's Olympic gold medal"
Imane Khelif made her Olympic debut in the Tokyo 2020 Games and reached the quarter-finals of the 60kg category. The athlete was ultimately defeated with a score of 5-0 by the eventual champion Kellie Harrington of Ireland.
Imane Khelif shared a strong message for the IBA after they claimed she failed two gender tests
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif shared a strong reply to the International Boxing Association (IBA) after they announced that they would take legal action against the International Olympic Committee regarding safety concerns over gender eligibility. The IBA's complaint had specifically included Algeria's Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting.
Khelif shared a statement on Instagram, following the complaint registered in February earlier this year:
"The IBA, an organization that I am no longer associated with and which is no longer recognized by the IOC, have again made baseless accusations that are false and offensive, using them to further their agenda. This is a matter that concerns not just me but the broader principles of fairness and due process in sport.
"For two years, I have taken the high road while my name and image have been used, unauthorized, to further personal and political agendas through the spreading and dissemination of baseless lies and misinformation. But silence is no longer an option."
Khelif strongly denied the accusations made by the IBA regarding her failing two gender tests and is still fighting the legal battle with support from the IOC.
