Imane Khelif and Kaylia Nemour return from Olympics to a warm welcome in Algeria

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif returned home to a warm welcome Monday as Algerians rallied around her in the face of international scrutiny and misconceptions about her sex.

The Algerian gold medalist in women’s welterweight boxing flew back to the gas-rich North African nation’s capital Monday afternoon along with other Olympic medalists, including gymnast Kaylia Nemour and runner Djamel Sedjati.

They were greeted in Algiers by Minister of Youth and Sports Abderrahmane Hammad and were scheduled to meet President Abdelmadjid Tebboune later this week, according to APS, the nation’s public press service.

“It’s a dream I had for eight years,” Khelif said of her gold medal performance. “We did our best to represent Algeria.”

Khelif became a top storyline of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew 46 seconds into their matchup, wept and refused to shake Khelif’s hand, saying she had never been hit so hard by a punch. Afterward, scrutiny toward Khelif exploded as people — including world leaders and celebrities — questioned her eligibility or falsely claimed she was a man.

Algerians vigorously defended Khelif amid uninformed speculation about her sex, which they interpreted as a byproduct of racism. They loudly made their presence known both in Paris and Algeria, where the gold medal fight was broadcast in public squares throughout the country.

Sedjati, the bronze medalist in the men’s 800 meters, said Nemour and Khelif’s success would “give a boost to women’s sports in our country.”