Janjaem Suwannapheng, the contender set to battle Algerian boxer Imane Khelif on Tuesday night, has shared her thoughts ahead of the encounter with the fighter who has recently been at the center of a media controversy regarding her alleged gender eligibility.
The 25-year-old was disqualified from IBA competitions in late 2023 after reportedly failing unspecified ‘gender eligibility tests’. Khelif gained significant attention after her impressive 46-second win over Angela Carini at the start of the Olympics.
Numerous erroneous reports suggested that Khelif was biologically male, leading her to address these accusations directly and inspiring IOC president Thomas Bach to issue a strong statement in defense of her participation in the women’s category.
Khelif has since triumphed over Hungary’s Luca Harmoni to secure her place in the semi-finals against Suwannapheng, ensuring that both athletes will walk away with a medal in Paris.
In anticipation of the match, the Thai boxer expressed confidence about her chances against Khelif, who had previously defeated Suwannapheng in the semi-finals of the 2023 IBA World Championships prior to her disqualification.
Janjaem Suwannapheng has spoken out ahead of her anticipated clash with Imane Khelif
The Algerian boxer (left) is guaranteed of a medal regardless of the outcome of her fight
Khelif was forced to speak out and call upon boxing fans to refrain from bullying the athletes
‘I’ve grown stronger since then, and I’ll give it my all,’ Suwannapheng expressed to Thai newspaper Khaosod before the bout.
‘I’ve researched her situation regarding hormones and I acknowledge she has faced defeats against female boxers previously, but that was quite some time ago.
‘I’m uncertain if she has become stronger or if her male hormones have increased. However, if we face off again, I’m undaunted because I believe we are closely matched.
‘I’ve conditioned my body thoroughly and trained extensively. I just consider that, regardless of our strengths or toughness, we’re both human, and we both have two fists.
‘Having reached this point, I aim to go all the way to winning the gold medal.’
Following her victory over Harmoni, where she celebrated her success with tears, proclaiming ‘I am a woman’ in light of the judges’ decision, Khelif participated in her first interview since the onset of the controversy, urging Olympic fans to respect the competition’s principles and refrain from targeting athletes.
The toll of the past week appeared to tell on Khelif after her defeat of Hungary’s Luca Hamori
‘It can devastate lives, shatter spirits, and affect mental health,’ Khelif stated on Monday. ‘It creates division among people.
‘For that reason, I implore everyone to avoid bullying.’
Amid calls for the IBA to disclose the specifics of the tests that resulted in Khelif and fellow Olympic boxer from Taiwan, Lin Yu-ting, being recorded with male ‘XY chromosomes’, the troubled federation held a press conference in Paris on Monday.
The organization, which lost its right to oversee Olympic boxing due to governance and corruption issues, did not clarify the tests that resulted in the disqualification of Lin and Khelif from their events.
‘The tests indicated they were men,’ declared Russian chief Umar Kremlev, who also derogatorily referred to Bach. ‘We do not verify what they possess physically. We are unsure if they were born that way or if modifications occurred.’
Suwannapheng previously met Khelif at the end of last year, but has said she’s ‘not afraid’
The IBA stated that both boxers were examined at their event in Istanbul in 2022, where adverse results were discovered, which were confirmed at the 2023 competition in New Delhi.
They also mentioned that two other boxers underwent testing in Turkey and were deemed eligible, yet have not disclosed the specific tests performed.
In the women’s featherweight division, Lin is set to compete against Turkey’s Esra Yildiz Kahraman in her semi-final on Wednesday evening.
