Gender controversy fighter Imane Khelif eligible for LUXURY cars or apartments after qualification to Paris Olympics finals

World Athletics will award $50,000 to track and field gold medalists at the Paris Olympic Games. In addition to this, athletes from particular demographics can look forward to much bigger paydays if they win a title in France. Top in the running will now be Imane Khelif.

While the payout stipulation from World Athletics is only for Arab countries, other regions have allotted similar grants and payouts. Khelif, an Algerian boxer dragged into gender eligibility controversies, might see the same at the Paris Olympics 2024.

Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting have been subject to cyber abuse and social media speculations. The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) ad hoc Boxing unit rules state that she was born and competes as a woman. However, the Russia-backed IBA disqualified the duo due to hormonal imbalance and traces of XY chromosomes. The inaccurate online speculation about their sexes hasn’t stopped Khelif from advancing to the women’s 66-kilogram finals on Friday night.

The 25-year-old defeated Janjaem Suwannapheng 5-0 in the semi-finals. Khelif, a two-time Olympian, has already confirmed her first Olympic medal, which is also Algeria’s first women’s boxing medal. To become Algeria’s second gold medalist in boxing after Hocine Soltani in 1996, she yearns just one more victory. Before this, Khelif comfortably won the Women’s (—66kg) Quarter-finals live at 11:22 ET against Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori. 

However, the first fight with Angela Carini propelled her to more controversy as the Italian rival peeled away and quit in under a minute. While Carini received a big clinical hazard payout, Khelif faced much ridicule for allegedly being a man in a women’s sport.

IOC President Thomas Bach has come to the defense, saying such allegations are flawed. Adequately tested Khelif is now eligible for a world of glory if she snags gold at the finals.

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Why and how Imane Khelif can be eligible for luxury and grants?

After winning Saudi Arabia’s second-ever Olympic silver medal in karate in Tokyo three years ago, Tareg Hamedi changed his life forever. Offering huge financial incentives to medalists is not unheard of in the world of sports.

For example, Hong Kong fencer Cheung Ka Long banked HK$5 million ($640,311) for his Tokyo gold. And, honoring support has a long history in the Arab world and affiliate nations. The winner of a gold medal in Morocco will receive two million dirhams ($200,000), while the Egyptian National Olympic Committee raises the bar to five million Egyptian pounds ($105,218) for the Paris Olympics 2024.

The entire Iraqi national soccer qualifiers for the Paris Olympics received plots of land and participation bonuses. Per Agence France Presse and reuters.com/sports, Arab Games welterweight alum Khelif might be applicable for the same. In Algeria, it is customary for the president to honor Olympic champions with gifts such as luxury cars and apartments.

With IOC saying the IBA is a discredited organization, coach Mohamed Chaoua thinks she’s the epicenter of a power struggle. More than that, she is an icon now. The Laghouat native has had to go through a world of hate and hurt at the Paris Olympics. Fans have thus resonated with Imane Khelif’s journey.

In an interview with SNTV, instead of crying victim, she urged to stop bullying overall. Amid the gender row controversy, Algerian fans flocked to a repurposed Court Philippe Chatrier chanting her name. Khelif has been gaining immense popularity over time.

In case you missed it:

• Jake Paul offers to sign Olympic boxer Angela Carini after rare loss and gender controversy in Paris 2024
• JK Rowling BLASTS ‘misogynist’ Olympics committee for allowing gender test-failing boxer to beat female opponent

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