2024 Olympics: Hungarian Boxing Association protests to IOC over inclusion of Algeria’s Iman Khalif

Saturday’s women’s boxing quarterfinals are drawing unusual attention because of the participation of Algeria’s Imane Khalif. The Hungarian Boxing Federation has lodged a protest with the International Olympic Committee ahead of Khalif’s scheduled matchup with Hungary’s Anna Luka Hamori.

Hungary’s state news agency said Hamori still plans to continue fighting, although the association could also launch a legal challenge to Khalif’s participation.

Khalif’s in-ring run in Paris begins with first-round win Angela Carini of Italy retired after 46 secondsCarini’s emotional reaction to the loss led to a visit from the Italian Prime Minister and made headlines around the world.

Welterweight player Khalif competed at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and failed to win a medal, but attention to her participation in 2024 stems from her disqualification after competing at the 2023 World Championships. The International Boxing Association said after that event that Khalif and another boxer, Lin-Yu-Ting of Chinese Taipei, had failed an unspecified gender eligibility test.

The disqualification was issued without documentation of testing and both fighters had competed in previous IBA events without incident. The IOC called it sudden and arbitrary and without due process.

Lin won by unanimous decision at featherweight over Sitora Turdybekova of Uzbekistan in the round of 16 on Friday morning. She will face Svetlana Staneva of Bulgaria in the quarterfinals.

The IOC said eligibility rules for this year’s Games are based on the rules of the Tokyo Games and will not be changed during the competition. The committee issued a statement on Thursday expressing regret over the treatment meted out to Khalif and Lin.

“The IOC regrets that both athletes were subjected to mistreatment,” the IOC said. “Every individual has the right to play sports without any discrimination.”