This story was originally published in WIRED Italia and has been translated from Italian.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won her first match of the 2024 Paris Olympics when her opponent, Angela Carini of Italy, quit after taking several blows to the face in the opening seconds of the bout. The victory only fueled the misguided controversy around Khelif, who has been targeted by critics who have misgendered her throughout the Games.
Born in 1999 in Tiaret, Algeria, Khelif has been boxing since she was a child and has always competed in women’s categories. In her career, she competed in the Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi in 2018 (finishing in