By Claire McCullough
Many athletes dream of being able to one day compete in the Olympics and take home a gold medal for their country. However, for Algeria’s Imane Khelif, who competed and won Algeria’s first gold medal in women’s boxing, that dream came with a whole nightmare of controversy. According to Newsweek’s Shannon Power, the controversy started when Khelif bested one of her opponents, Italy’s Angela Carini, in a match that only lasted forty-six seconds. After the match Carini made comments to the media about the match. Natalie Rahhal of Yahoo life stated that Carini told the press that “A punch hurt too much, and so I said enough”. Leading to people, especially on X, formerly called Twitter, assuming Khelif was trans, and making transphobic posts targeting Khelif.
Rahhal and PBS mentioned how the media fire became even more fueled when the fact that Imane Khelif was prevented from competing in 2023’s world boxing championship because she failed an International Boxing Association, IBA, eligibly test. The IBA’s President, Umar Kremlev, said that Khelif’s tests found XY chromosomes, but the tests themselves and what kind they were have not been public. So, there’s no way to know if there’s any validity to these claims. However, that did not stop the idea from getting traction in right wing media. Powers article commented about how big names such as Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and J.K. Rowling all made accusations and demeaning comments about Khelif. One post on X by Rowling featured in the Newsweek article said, “Watch this, then explain why you’re okay with a man beating a woman in public for your entertainment”.
Unsurprisingly, Khelif has been one of the most affected by the media questioning her gender. Power’s article ended with Khelif saying, “This is a big shame for my family, for the honor of Algeria, for the women of Algeria and especially the Arab world. The whole world knows I am a Muslim girl”. Khelif had a reason to feel worried and ashamed. According to an anonymous source on campus, Algeria is a conservative Muslim country that has strict laws and perspectives on morality and that includes transgenderism. Khelif could have been put in danger because of the accusations about her gender. The International Olympic Committee, IOC, is working to support Khelif. IOC Spokesperson, Mark Adams said that the Khelif was able to participate in the 2024 Olympics because she passed the eligibility tests required for the Olympics and was labeled as female on her passport. Adams also reported that Khelif was removed from the championship with no form of due process. The controversy increased the amount of support Khelif received, and many people who supported Khelif called out the unfounded upon hate that she was receiving.
So how does Khelif connect to McPherson College? The Khelif situation sparked conversation about how trans athletes should be treated, and the same anonymous source said that they felt the Imane Khelif situation really showcased how prevalent transphobia is today. McPherson College is one that prides itself on diversity and inclusion. In current times questions about how to ethically include trans people in sports are becoming more common. The college might have to consider the how to properly include trans athletes, and the affect that could possibly be had on the college’s inclusive environment.
