Olympic champion Imane Khelif has unveiled a fresh new look following the boxer's success at the Paris Olympics last year.
The Algerian fighter, who made headlines at the Olympics after becoming embroiled in a gender eligibility storm, shared a reflective post last week on the anniversary of the triumph, describing the struggles faced since.
“It was an unforgettable moment, a moment where my tears mixed with the awe of pride, a moment where my country’s flag soared high, and I held my head up with the strength of a boxer and the heart of a human,” Khelif wrote on Instagram.
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“Today, on the anniversary of that triumph, I’m going through a difficult phase filled with challenges, silence, and waiting… But despite everything, the spirit that fought for gold still beats within me.
Olympic champion Imane Khelif has unveiled a fresh new look following the boxer's success at the Paris Olympics last year
|GETTY/INSTAGRAM
“I still believe that every fall is a prelude to a stronger rise, and that every delay carries within it a test of faith and willpower.
"True strength lies not only in victory, but in perseverance against all odds.
“I am Imane Khelif — a champion yesterday, resilient today, and determined to return tomorrow.
"Thank you to everyone who still believes in me… And to myself, thank you for never giving up.”
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Days later, Khelif was pictured alongside TV presenter Nassima Djaffar Bey, showing off a glamorous makeover with makeup and flowing hair.
Djaffar Bey captioned the Instagram post: “Always a pleasure.”
The 25-year-old has yet to return to the ring since Paris and skippered a planned comeback at the Eindhoven Box Cup earlier this summer.
That decision came just after World Boxing, the sport’s new governing body, introduced mandatory sex testing for all athletes over 18 — requiring genetic PCR tests to confirm eligibility.
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Imane Khelif is yet to compete in boxing since winning gold at the Paris Olympics last summer
|The issue of gender verification has followed Khelif since the 2023 World Championships, when the now-defunct International Boxing Association disqualified both the 26-year-old and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting over alleged test results.
Despite this, the International Olympic Committee cleared both fighters for Paris, where they went on to win gold medals.
The debate reignited this year when reports of an alleged leaked medical test surfaced, claiming Khelif carried XY chromosomes.
The fighter's father countered those claims at the Olympics by producing a birth certificate listing Khelif as female.
Calls for the boxer's medal to be revoked have been firmly dismissed.
In June, IOC president Kirsty Coventry confirmed no retrospective action would be taken.
“There was overwhelming support that we should protect the female category,” Coventry said.
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Imane Khelif was permitted to compete at the Paris Olympics by the IOC due to their gender eligibility rules | Imane Khelif“But it was fully agreed that, as the IOC, we should place emphasis on protection of the female category.”
For now, Khelif remains focused on the long-term goal of competing at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The Algerian has already confirmed plans to move up a weight division, while Khelif also previously took part in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.