Imane Khelif briefly commented on the controversy surrounding her Olympic participation.
“I am a woman,” Herrif told reporters in Paris in her only comments after reaching the women’s welterweight semi-finals and defeating Hungary’s Anna-Luka Hamori in three rounds to win a medal.
Since there is no third-place deciding match in boxing, the Algerian is guaranteed at least the bronze medal.
The 25-year-old Kherif sparked controversy last year when he was allowed by the IOC to take part in the Paris Games despite failing the International Boxing Association’s gender eligibility test.
Kheriff has identified as a woman since birth, has always competed in the women’s boxing division and is listed as a woman on her passport.
The IBA, which has a history of Russian dominance, was expelled from the Olympics last year and has not organised boxing at the Olympics since 2016.
Both Kheriff and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting failed the IBA’s gender eligibility test and failed to win a medal in Tokyo three years ago.
Kheriff, who defeated Hamoli on Saturday, was in tears after the previous 48 hours had been marked by public outcry over her election.
“I’m sad about these disputes,” Angela Carini, who sparked the outrage over Kherif by refusing to shake his hand and then abandoning the match after 46 seconds, told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. “I’m also sorry for my opponent. If the IOC says it’s OK to play, I respect that decision.”
Kheriff will face Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapen in the semi-finals on Tuesday afternoon.
