Riley Gaines takes a jab at Imane Khelif as the Olympic gold medalist gears up for boxing tournament

Swimmer-turned-social activist Riley Gaines recently reacted to Imane Khelif's return to the boxing ring. The welterweight Olympic champion will compete in the Eindhoven Box Cup, which will be held from June 9 onwards.

The tournament organizers welcomed the return of the Olympic champion boxer to the ring. They posted on their X page that they're proud to see Khelif back to defend her title at the Eindhoven Box Cup.

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However, Gaines wasn't highly impressed by the news. The former NCAA champion swimmer took a jibe at Khelif's gender identity as she posted on X:

"Still the same male who stole a women's Olympic gold medal"

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For the unversed, Imane Khelif is a welterweight boxer whose participation at the Paris Olympics was marred by controversy. The AIBA had suspended her from participating in the Boxing World Championships in 2023 due to the controversy around her gender identity. However, following the suspension of the AIBA, the International Olympic Committee allowed the participation of Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting, a boxer from Taiwan who was suspended on similar grounds. Both went on to win the Olympic gold medal in their respective categories.

Riley Gaines campaigned against Imane Khelif's participation alongside celebrities like Martina Navratilova, Elon Musk, and JK Rowling. She also called out the organizers of the Paris Olympics for letting Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting participate despite the controversy surrounding their gender identity.

Riley Gaines shares her thoughts on JK Rowling's new fundraiser for women's sex-based rights

Riley Gaines reacts to JK Rowling's latest fundraiser [Image Source: Getty]

Riley Gaines recently expressed her views on author JK Rowling and her establishment of a fund which focuses on women's sex-based rights. Gaines appreciated Rowling for her approach as she posted on X:

"J.K. Rowling has launched a legal fund pledging to give financial backing to women fighting to protect their sex-based rights. @jk_rowling is a modern day civil rights hero. Thank you."

The legal fund initiative by JK Rowling will help women in protecting their sex-based rights in public life, workplace and other spaces. Rowling has been a strong advocate of women's rights and has also campaigned against the participation of trans athletes in women's sports, just like Riley Gaines did.

When Rowling called out the authorities organizing the Paris Olympics for allowing the participation of Imane Khelif, the latter sued her and Elon Musk for cyberbullying.

However, when a French-Algerian medical report leaked out, indicating the 'real gender' of the Algerian boxer, several celebrities supported JK Rowling, including Riley Gaines and Martina Navratilova. Gaines posted on X:

"Remember the man who won an Olympic gold medal in women’s boxing? His medical reports show he has XY chromosomes, male testosterone levels, testicles, & a micropenis. But that never mattered—they believe that words & feelings make you woman, not biology."

Riley Gaines previously called out a transgender group in London for allegedly conducting a 'topless' protest over the oppression of the transgender community in the UK.

About the author

Animesh Pandey is a seasoned content writer at Sportskeeda with over eight years of experience, having previously worked as an intern for Follow Your Sport before joining SK as a columnist in 2017. A graduate with a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing, he also worked at TFI Media Private Limited and contributed as an intern for the movie website Nettv4u.

He has extensively covered events from World Championships to the Olympics, providing insights and analyses that resonate with his audience. His belief in mastering the basics and delivering accurate, relevant, and ethical information through thorough research is reflected in his work.

He was notably invited to the National Sports and Adventure Awards 2018 at Rashtrapati Bhavan after winning a MyGov quiz on Indian Sports, where he engaged with celebrated athletes such as Rahi Sarnobat, Hima Das, Jinson Johnson, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, and Subedar Neeraj Chopra, who also happens to be his favorite Olympian.

Despite being a field hockey enthusiast, Animesh's most cherished Olympic moments include Wayde Van Niekerk's unexpected world record in the 400 meters at Rio and Chopra's historic gold medal in Tokyo.

When not immersed in writing or watching the Olympics, Animesh indulges in his love for movies, embracing quality cinema regardless of the language.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar