"Allowing a man to beat up women is shameful"- Ex-UFC star criticizes Imane Khelif's Olympic gold medal victory
A former UFC fighter recently voiced his disapproval of Algeria's Imane Khelif's gold medal victory in women's welterweight boxing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, citing ongoing controversy over her gender eligibility.
After two weeks mired in a gender-related uproar, Khelif emerged as an Olympic gold medalist for the first time, triumphing over China's world champion Yang Liu in the women’s 66kg category with a unanimous decision on Friday.
The 2024 Paris Boxing Unit (PBU) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) came under heavy fire on social media for permitting Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-Ting to compete in this year's women's boxing events despite their prior suspensions for allegedly failing gender eligibility tests.
Former UFC welterweight fighter Jake Shields, known for his polarizing opinions, recently took to X to react to Khelif's gold medal win. Shields alleged that the amateur boxer is biologically male and deceived everyone to compete in the women's category:
"It’s unbelievable how many people have been fooled into believing this man is a woman. The IBA very specificity said that he failed the Chromosome and testosterone test. People will believe what they want, but allowing a man to beat up women is shameful."
Check out Jake Shields' post below:
Khelif was disqualified just hours before her gold medal bout at the Women's World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, India, in March 2023 after a gender verification test revealed the presence of XY chromosomes, as required by the International Boxing Association (IBA). However, the IBA has not released any evidence to substantiate the failed test.
In June 2023, the IOC stripped the IBA of its authority to oversee international amateur boxing. This pivotal decision cleared the path for Khelif to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Derek Brunson commends Imane Khelif's Olympic gold success at 2024 Paris games
Derek Brunson recently lauded Imane Khelif's gold medal victory at the Paris Olympics. In a post on X, he defended Khelif, asserting that she was born female and effectively shattered all the gender-related propaganda with her win. He wrote:
"Imane Khelif wins the Gold Medal. A lot of propaganda and lies. Born a female, born with lady parts. Lies about the IBA tests that were not disclosed. Not a transgender. That’s not allowed in her country. HI HATERS #SHEisHER #IMANEKHELIF."
Check out Derek Brunson's post below:
The former UFC middleweight fighter has been outspoken in his support for Khelif on social media throughout the controversy, steadfastly maintaining that she is a biological female.