Russia attacks Iman Khalifa in the Security Council...and the Algerian representative responds

No one expected that the Algerian boxer's case would enter the UN Security Council discussions, after the global campaign to question her sexual identity. The biggest surprise was that the attack came from Algeria's traditional ally, Russia, at a time full of doubt in relations between the two countries, after the recent events in Mali.

In a session of the UN Security Council, which included a briefing on the subject of “Maintaining commitments to women, peace and security in the context of the rapid withdrawal of peace missions,” the Russian representative deviated from the text, directing implicit accusations at the Algerian boxer that she was a man who was allowed to fight with women, by Western groups that, according to him, support the “LGBT community.”

The Russian diplomat relied on the report of the International Boxing Federation, which has been waging a fierce war against the Algerian champion since the beginning of the Olympic competitions.

In light of these serious accusations, the Algerian representative did not miss the duty of responding, so he asked to speak, directing strong words at the Russian representative.

The Algerian diplomat stated that “the brave boxer, Miss Iman Khalif, was born a woman, lived her childhood as a young girl, and practiced sports as a woman in full measure,” stressing that “there is no doubt about that, except for those who have a political agenda whose intentions we do not know.”

He added, "I will suffice by referring everyone to the International Olympic Committee itself, which clearly and with its testimony breaks the back of every doubter of our brave and proud heroine, the granddaughter of free Algerian women."

In their reaction to this development, Algerians widely circulated the video clip related to the response on social media, with comments expressing surprise at the Russian behavior in light of the strategic relations between the two countries.

Accordingly, some have explicitly called for a review of relations with Russia, especially in light of the disappointment with this country’s positions since the setback of not joining BRICS and the statements of the Russian Foreign Minister at the time, which were considered to belittle Algeria’s size and weight, to the great Algerian annoyance with the role of Wagner mercenaries in Mali and their entry into wars on the outskirts of the country’s borders, and before that their role in Libya, at a time when Algeria rejects any foreign intervention in the region.

MP Ahmed Rabhi, from the bloc supporting President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, expressed his surprise at the involvement of the one he described as a strategic ally of our country in the boxing case, Iman Khalif, in the discussions in the corridors of the Security Council. He asked: “We have been friends since 1962, so what has changed?”

He added: "Thank God that Algeria was a member of the Security Council and was able to respond. This is a simple fruit of Algeria's new diplomacy."

Those who followed the story in detail from the beginning were not surprised by the Russian position, given the close relationship between the President of the International Boxing Federation, Umar Kremlev, and Russian officials. There are those who talk about a special relationship between this person and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who previously honored him and presented him with a medal, not to mention that Russia is one of the funders of this federation.

Khalifa faces a heinous provocation campaign led by the International Boxing Federation, which went as far as offering a cash prize to Italian boxer Angela Carini after she withdrew against her Algerian competitor, Iman Khalif, in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

“I couldn’t see her tears,” said Umar Kremlev, showing compassion for the Italian woman. “I can assure you that we will protect every boxer. I don’t understand why they are killing women’s boxing. Only qualified athletes should compete in the ring for safety.”

After qualifying for the quarter-finals, the International Boxing Federation organized a press conference in Paris to talk about Iman Khalif and question her sexual identity. This position contradicts what the Olympic Committee has confirmed on more than one occasion about Iman Khalif’s eligibility to compete, which was repeated by its officials in the current Olympics.

In March 2023, this federation had deprived the Algerian champion from competing in the final of the World Boxing Championship (under 66 kg) held in India, for medical reasons related to testosterone levels, a criterion that was completely rejected by the Olympic Committee, which approved her participation without any problem.

According to analysts of the Russian position, Moscow is playing on the West’s moral decadence by allowing sex reassignment surgeries and supporting the LGBT community. But Algeria’s involvement in these gender issues seemed strange, given that Algeria and other Islamic countries have a completely different perception of these issues from the West, making the claim that Iman Khalif is a transsexual ridiculous.

Since the start of the Olympics, major international figures in the West have led a campaign to question the identity of the Algerian unemployed woman by accusing her of being a “man,” to the point of demanding her exclusion from the Olympic competitions.

The former US president and candidate for the upcoming presidential elections stated in a message on his platform “Truth Social” in this context that he “will exclude men from women’s competitions” if he is elected in November, attaching his words to a video clip of the fight between Iman Khalif and Angela Carini.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her fellow extremist Minister Matteo Salvini also attacked the Olympic Committee for allowing the Algerian boxer to fight. The social network “X” turned into a platform for attacking the Algerian champion, starting with its billionaire owner Elon Musk, who left everything and devoted himself to commenting on Iman Khalif and interacting with everything published about the claim that she is a man.

(Al-Quds Al-Arabi)