Algerian boxer Imane Khelif who won a gold medal in the Paris Olympics amid a gender eligibility row has revealed she intends to compete at the Los Angeles games in 2028.
In an exclusive interview with ITV News Sports Editor Steve Scott, Imane Khelif said she was "deeply affected mentally" by a "campaign" of criticism in Paris, which left her mother in Algeria needing hospital care.
Khelif told ITV News she was not intimidated by President Trump and called out celebrities – including Elon Musk and JK Rowling – for "bullying" her online "without verified facts".
When Khelif’s second-round opponent quit, JK Rowling wrote on X that the Algerian fighter was “enjoying the distress of a woman, HE has just punched in the head”.
“When I saw that even heads of state, famous figures, and former athletes were speaking about me without having verified facts, it shocked me," Khelif said.
"They were speaking just for the sake of talking, without any reliable or documented information. I also noticed on social media that people were discussing the issue without any trustworthy sources. That was what affected me the most in the beginning – why was I, Imane Khalif, the target of such a campaign?’’
Relatively recently the US president stated he would not allow men to compete in women’s sport, and wrongly suggested Khelif had transitioned from a man.
She says his rhetoric does not scare her.
"I will give you a straightforward answer: the US president issued a decision related to transgender policies in America. I am not transgender. This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me. That is my response.
"Of course, I defend with everything I have this gold medal… I continue my dream, my everything."
In Algeria, she is an icon, and her influence is growing: "Of course, being an Olympic champion, a Muslim, and an Arab is something truly special, especially in a sport like boxing, where the majority of athletes are men.
However, this sport is now gaining significant popularity in Islamic and Arab countries, where people have developed a great love for it.
"I believe the inspiration from the Paris Olympics has grown, and many young people now feel motivated and want to enter this field, boxing. From my side, I want to give them all the encouragement they need.
"I aim to achieve even greater results and to send powerful messages that serve as life lessons for young people. I want to be a source of motivation and a positive example for anyone who looks up to me."
The next title she’s going for is the World Championships in Liverpool later this year but her ultimate aim is to defend her Olympic title in Trump’s America in 2028.
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