Boxer Imane Khelif defeats Janjaem Suwannapheng in convincing unanimous decision victory to qualify for Olympic final

The location may have been different, but the result was familiar.

At Roland Garros, Imane Khelif, the boxer at the heart of the gender quarrel that has rocked this Olympics, defeated another opponent. She is now three rounds away from gold. “I don’t care,” she told her doubters.

The 25-year-old Algerian won unanimously against Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng, who simply had no answer to the speed and power of her opponent.

However, the questions for the Games bosses will now be even louder.

Khelif was banned from competing in last year’s world championships by the Russian governing body IBA after she failed a gender test just before her gold medal fight.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif defeated Janjaem Suwannapheng on points to secure a place in the Olympic final and a medal at the 2024 Games in Paris.

The 25-year-old Algerian boxer won the bout (pictured above) via unanimous decision

According to the IBA, which was stripped of the right to host boxing matches at the Games due to corruption and governance problems, she was found to have the male ‘XY’ chromosome.

However, no such tests will be conducted during the 2024 Games in Paris. The eligibility criteria are based on the gender stated in the participant’s passport.

Khelif, who had stamped her ticket to the final by a wide margin, had a two-inch height advantage and was cheered by a raucous Algerian contingent. She has quickly become a hero in the country.

She has now won 12 matches in a row and will return to this tennis arena, which has taken over from the North Paris Arena, on Friday evening for the final set.

“I don’t care what people say about me with the controversy,” she said. “The only thing that matters to me is that I stay on level and give my people the performance they deserve. I know that I am a talented person and this is a gift for all Algerians.”

From the opening bell, that gift was wrapped up. Khelif immediately took control. The left jab-right hand combination seen in her previous fights was back in fashion. She landed clean, big punches and forced the Thai into a rare standing eight count in the final round of what was largely a no-contest.

When the verdict was passed in Khelif, she began a victory dance with a radiant smile.

Khelif showed impressive striking and footwork to maintain dominance throughout the match

The Algerian will face China’s Yang Liu (right) in the final of the competition on Friday.

There aren’t many of them in the luxury hotel suites of the International Olympic Committee. The prospect of gold for Khelif is likely to be a constant headache for IOC bosses, who are forced to defend her presence in Paris on an almost daily basis.

They will undoubtedly have to do it again, although it was a feat not without great craftsmanship.

Attention is now focused on the second boxer to fail the gender test at the World Championships: Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting, who will fight her semi-final against Turkey’s Esra Yildiz Kahraman on Wednesday.

Khelif will face China’s Yang Liu in the final.

Earlier, Lewis Richardson suffered a painful split decision defeat to Mexican Marco Verde, leaving the Team GB boxing squad to end the competition with just one bronze medal.

The Colchester light-middleweight fighter could be feeling very badly hurt after a valiant performance that somehow wasn’t enough to secure a place in the final.

Meanwhile, Lewis Richardson suffered a painful split decision defeat to Mexican Marco Verde

To many onlookers, Richardson appeared to secure a shot at gold with a controlled performance behind an improving jab. But the judges, in front of a raucous Mexican support crowd, had other ideas.

“It’s devastating, it’s raw,” Richardson said. “I’ve just stepped out of the ring, so emotions are high. I’m obviously disappointed to miss the final and to be fighting for gold on Friday night.”

Richardson did say he had performed well and that his efforts had ensured that if Britain were to win a medal, the only way would be Essex. However, his solo effort is five short of the two-of-each-colour haul in Tokyo.

“I hope I look back and I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved, because I’ve made history in my city, Colchester,” he said. “I’m the only British boxer to have won a medal at these Games, so hopefully in the future I’ll look back with pride and happiness.”