Badr Hari Speaks Out about Imane Khelif Gender Issues in Olympic Boxing
Morocco’s Badr Hari has weighed in on the ongoing furor of Imane Khelif, the Algerian Olympic boxer who has had her gender brought into question. Online personalities and pundits strongly believe that they had found a target for all of their transgender hostility, but ultimately it was misinformation meant to ignite bad-faith actors.
Imane Khelif
Imane Khelif is an Algerian amateur boxer who has competed in the 2020 and 2024 Olympic games. She has been in the Olympic testing pool for years and has never tested positive for increased testosterone in that time. The IBA suspended her for reasons that are unclear, but the IOC claims that the IBA did not follow due process through its actions. The Olympics do not use advice from the IBA as it is not considered a reputable organization and is often shrouded in controversy.
With an amateur record of 38-9, Imane Khelif qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. A story ran that torched online spaces and roused users into a frenzy. Ultimately, the Algerian boxer was born a woman and competes in women’s sports. It was misinformation. It is illegal in Algeria to be a trans person and any person who identifies as LGBTQ could be prosecuted.
Badr Hari
The Moroccan-Dutch Badr Hari is one of the icons of kickboxing. With an aggressive style, ‘Bad Boy’ has won over 90 of his matches by way of knockout. Throughout his career, he has competed at the highest levels of K-1 Kickboxing, It’s Showtime, Glory Kickboxing, and many others. Throughout his career, he has been able to defeat notable strikers such as Alistair Overeem, Semmy Schilt, Peter Aerts, and several more.
The 39-year-old athlete Badr Hari has added his voice to the mix. The Moroccan recognized the hard of the Algerian boxer and congratulated her on her Olympic wins. On his Instagram story, Badr Hari said:
“Well-deserved congratulations to this young woman!”
