"I'm always there for her"

Khelif mom emotional: “Imane is our role model”

Imane Khelif (2nd from left) has returned home to her family.(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The debates surrounding boxer Imane Khelif have also shocked her mother Nasria. She has now spoken out on the subject and assured her daughter of all the support she needs. "She is our role model," says the Algerian. Meanwhile, Olympic champion Khelif is still struggling with the accusations.

"My child is a girl. She was brought up as a girl," Nasria clarifies to the Daily Mail. The controversies surrounding her daughter would have shocked the Algerian, especially as they lacked any basis: "Imane is a girl who has loved sport since she was six years old." 

Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting were the subject of fierce controversy at the Olympic Games. Both boxers had been excluded from last year's World Championships following tests by the International Boxing Association (IBA), which is no longer recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Khelif was afraid
Meanwhile, IBA Secretary General Chris Roberts explained that it had never been the association's intention to start a debate. Nevertheless, the results of the tests could not be published. "We have received letters from China and Algeria telling us that we cannot release information about female boxers. You can see what that means - again, read between the lines," Roberts said.

Imane Khelif at the Olympic Games in Paris.(Bild: AP)

Khelif's mother, meanwhile, is being combative: "I will always be there for her. She has honored the national flag. She is our role model." Words that mean a lot to her daughter. The controversial boxer recently admitted that the debate and the many hate comments had hurt and intimidated her. "I can't describe to you how scared I was," said the Algerian, who has filed a cyberbullying complaint. The French authorities are currently investigating.