The 25-year-old athlete defeated Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng via unanimous decision.
Imane Khelif, the boxer who has sparked a global debate over gender eligibility at the Paris Olympics, will be fighting for a gold medal in the women’s boxing competition after beating Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng during the welterweight semifinal tournament on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old Algerian athlete defeated Janjaem via unanimous decision at Roland-Garros Stadium, guaranteeing her a silver medal.
It marks the third victory for Khelif in as many fights at the Paris Olympics.
“I don’t want anything to be said about the controversy,” Khelif said after the win. “I just had the performance I was looking to deliver today to make the fans happy.”
Khelif will next face China’s Yang Liu in the 66-kilogram final on Friday night.
A win in the final would mark Algeria’s first-ever gold medal in Olympic boxing.
Khelif, who secured a silver medal at the 2022 Women’s World Championships, is one of two boxers competing in the Paris Olympics to face calls to withdraw amid questions regarding their gender and fairness.
The decision to disqualify them followed a “meticulous review” and was “extremely important and necessary to uphold the level of fairness and utmost integrity of the competition,” the IBA said.
The two athletes “did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognized test, whereby the specifics remain confidential,” according to the IBA, which appeared to contradict the comments made by its president.
Lorenz Duchamps
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped the IBA of its status as the sport’s governing body in 2023.
Khelif defeated Janjaem in the semi-finals during the 2023 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships before being disqualified.
However, controversy regarding Khelif’s eligibility to compete against other women erupted earlier this month during her match with Italian boxer Angela Carini.
That match was stopped 46 seconds into their round of 16 bout when Carini pulled out, citing concerns over her safety after being hit with a string of punches. She told reporters after that her nose had started bleeding.
Carini didn’t shake Khelif’s hand after the match concluded, although she later apologized for her decision.
The IOC, which is holding the Paris 2024 boxing tournament, is using boxing eligibility rules that were applied at the 2016 and 2021 Olympics, and which do not include gender testing. The IOC has repeatedly defended Khelif and Yu-ting’s participation in the competition.
“This is the clear definition of a woman,” he said.
Lorenz Duchamps and Reuters contributed to this report.