Analysis

Khelif gets her fairytale ending. The controversy’s far from over

Controversial gold-winning Algerian welterweight Imane Khelif got her fairytale ending. But her victory won’t draw the curtain on this particular culture war.

Hans van LeeuwenJournalist

Updated Aug 11, 2024 – 11.20am, first published at 9.25am

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Paris | For Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, winning a gold medal in front of a packed, cheering Olympic arena was a fairytale ending. But her victory is unlikely to bring down a curtain on this particular culture war.

“I’ve worked for eight years, no sleep, eight years tired. Now I’m Olympic champion,” she said after prevailing against China’s Yang Liu on Saturday morning (AEST). “I am very happy for my performance. I am a strong woman.”

Hans van Leeuwen is The Australian Financial Review’s former Europe correspondent. He is now International Economy editor for The Telegraph UK.