Amy Broadhurst Defends Imane Khelif Amid Olympics Gender Controversy
4 min read
Fabio Bozzani/Anadolu via Getty Images
Amy Broadhurst, who defeated Imane Khelif in the 2022 World Championship, has come to her former opponent’s defense amidst the recent gender controversy following Khelif’s match against Italy’s Angela Carini. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Amy Broadhurst expressed her support for Khelif, emphasizing that she does not believe Khelif has done anything wrong.
“Have a lot of people texting me over Imane Khelif. Personally, I don’t think she has done anything to ‘cheat’. I think it’s the way she was born & that’s out of her control. The fact that she has been beaten by 9 females before says it all,” Amy Broadhurst wrote.
Have a lot of people texting me over Imane Khelif. Personally I don’t think she has done anything to ‘cheat’. I thinks it’s the way she was born & that’s out of her control. The fact that she has been beating by 9 females before says it all.
— Amy Broadhurst (@amybroadhurst12) July 31, 2024
The controversy erupted after Carini forfeited her match against Khelif following a powerful punch from the Algerian boxer, which led Carini to quit the bout just 46 seconds in. After her victory was declared, Carini fell to her knees, visibly upset, and told her coach, “It’s not right, it’s not right!” This incident has sparked a flurry of misinformation and heated debates on social media regarding Khelif’s gender and her eligibility to compete in the Games.
Carini, 25, has since apologized to Khelif for the harassment she has been facing and admitted her regret for not shaking Khelif’s hand after the match. “All this controversy makes me sad. I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision. It wasn’t something I intended to do. Actually, I want to apologize to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke,” Carini confessed.
I don’t support Male Vs Female in anything. It’s wrong! But nothing has been confirmed that this person is a male. If it comes out that this person is male I’ll be disgusted but right now everyone is assuming without knowing real facts. This was Imane as a child pic.twitter.com/CDGT2DF5Kw
— Amy Broadhurst (@amybroadhurst12) August 1, 2024
In light of the backlash on social media, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued a statement expressing their dismay over the abuse directed at both athletes. “The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure, especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years. The IOC is saddened by the abuse that the two athletes are currently receiving. Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination,” the statement read.
Khelif is set to fight again on Saturday, with a win ensuring her a bronze medal and the opportunity to compete for silver or gold. Despite the controversy, Khelif’s resilience and the IOC’s support underline the importance of inclusivity in sports.
Reflecting on the sudden end to her Olympic journey, Carini expressed her sorrow and respect for Khelif in an interview with the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. “All this controversy makes me sad. I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision,” Carini reiterated. She acknowledged that abandoning the fight was a mature decision but regretted not adhering to the traditional sportsmanship of shaking hands with Khelif afterward.
Imane Khelif is a cisgender woman.
— Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte (@turnbulldugarte) August 1, 2024
She was born female, was registered as a girl at birth, is legally a woman, & continues to identify as a woman.
Is transphobia now so bad that even cisgender women cannot be women if they don’t comply with a certain woman ideal-type? pic.twitter.com/o5XPa6tPyN
“It wasn’t something I intended to do,” Carini admitted. “Actually, I want to apologize to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke.” Carini emphasized her desire to move past the incident and reconcile with Khelif, even stating she would “embrace her” if they met again.
The IOC has remained firm in their stance, with spokesperson Mark Adams affirming Khelif’s right to compete. “The Algerian boxer was born female, was registered female, lived her life as a female, boxed as a female, has a female passport,” Adams stated. Khelif’s participation serves as a testament to her determination and the IOC’s commitment to fairness and inclusivity in sports.
Shivam Kumar
Hi, I'm Shivam Kumar. I'm pursuing Journalism honors from the IP University. I love the skill of writing and looking forward to learn more of it. Also I love traveling and experiencing new things every day....
