unilad homepage
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • World News
    • Crime
    • Health
    • Money
    • Sport
    • Travel
  • Film and TV
    • Netflix
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
WWE star slams people attacking boxer Imane Khelif amid gender controversy

Home> News> Sport

Published 09:34 8 Aug 2024 GMT+1

WWE star slams people attacking boxer Imane Khelif amid gender controversy

Wrestler Sami Zayn has called out the relentless online bullying faced by the Algerian boxer

Kit Roberts

Kit Roberts

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Wrestler Sami Zayn has condemned the relentless online abuse and attacks directed against Algerian boxer Imane Khelif.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

a minute ago
3 mins ago
an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)
    a minute ago

    Reason why American-born Pope Leo won't visit US while Trump is in office

    The Pontiff will spend the next Fourth of July in Lampedusa.

    News
  • Getty stock image
    3 mins ago

    Doctor explains symptoms of antibiotic-resistant STI that less than 15% of people have heard of

    The condition could have some serious effects

    News
  • Photo by Michael Tran / AFP via Getty Images
    an hour ago

    Sexpert explains Nikki Glaser fetish as comedian reveals why she lets her boyfriend sleeps with other women

    The comedian admitted she 'kind of likes' the idea of her partner sleeping with other women

    Celebrity
  • Getty Stock
    2 hours ago

    Flights are about to get much more expensive, but experts have a way around it

    Summer travel this year is getting more experience, but there are ways to keep your trip somewhat affordable

    News

Khelif was thrust into the centre of an online row after a boxing match against Italy's Angela Carini, which lasted 46 seconds.

Misinformation was spread online about Khelif's gender after she was blocked from a previous competition by the now discredited Internetional Boxing Association (IBA).

The IBA carried out an unspecified 'gender eligibility test', which saw Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting from Taiwan barred from competing.

Since then, the IBA has been disavowed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) amid concerns around corruption.

These include around the body's president Umar Kremlev, who has ties to Vladimir Putin, as well as that the body's main sponsor is Russian state-owned gas company Gazprom.

Sami Zayn has now thrown his weight behind Khelif, urging her to go for gold and condemning the attacks as 'idiotic' and 'bigoted'.

Sami Zayn condemned the online abuse directed against Khelif. (WWE/Getty Images)
Sami Zayn condemned the online abuse directed against Khelif. (WWE/Getty Images)

He tweeted: "Big ups to the Muslim sister Imane Khelif who advanced in the Olympics today to box for the gold medal after facing a swarm of the most idiotic, bigoted comments I've ever seen an Olympic athlete face.

"Inshallah she wins the big one & the b****asses online get the help they need."

'Inshallah' means 'god-willing' or 'hopefully' in Arabic.

Khelif is now guaranteed a medal, and will face off against China's Liu Yang in the gold medal bout in a bid to become Algeria's first female gold medallist in boxing.

Speaking ahead of the fight, she said: "I am focused. I am here for a good performance and my dream. I will give everything I have for the final.

"I am very happy. I am very happy for all the support here in Paris. I want to thank all the people of Algeria who came here."

Khelif is now through to the gold medal bout. (Aytac Unal/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Khelif is now through to the gold medal bout. (Aytac Unal/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Khelif has been supported by the IOC, who released a statement saying that 'every person has the right to compete without discrimination'.

The 25-year-old boxer has also spoken out herself against the bullying she has faced online.

She told SNTV: "I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects.

"It can destroy people, it can kill people's thoughts, spirit and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying."

She added: "I am in contact with my family two days a week. I hope that they weren't affected deeply.

"They are worried about me. God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal, and that would be the best response."

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Fabio Bozzani/Anadolu/WWE

Topics: Imane Khelif, News, Olympics, World News, Sport, Twitter

Kit Roberts
Kit Roberts

Kit joined UNILAD in 2023 as a community journalist. They have previously worked for StokeonTrentLive, the Daily Mirror, and the Daily Star.

  • Olympic boxer Imane Khelif has message for Trump after president criticized her amid gender controversy
  • Boxer Imane Khelif gives defiant statement as she advances to final amid ongoing gender row
  • Eye-watering amount of money Imane Khelif will earn for winning Olympic gold after gender controversy
  • IBA chief boldly demands Imane Khelif and other Olympic boxer provide proof 'they were born women'