Former UFC star Gray Maynard recently shared his two cents on the controversy surrounding Imane Khelif participating in the Paris Olympics and competing as a woman. He opined that while he’s against biological men competing against women in sports, Khelif’s case is different and warrants no public persecution.
Khelif is a 25-year-old Algerian boxer who has been allowed to compete in the women’s category at the Olympics despite reportedly failing a gender eligibility test at the International Boxing Association (IBA) Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi last year.
Khelif recently faced Italy’s Angela Carini at the Olympics and got her hand raised after her opponent abandoned the bout 46 seconds into the opening round. Many slammed the Algerian’s win as gender cheating, including Donald Trump. The former POTUS reacted to footage of the fight and claimed via an X post that he could stop such unfair sports practices if re-elected in November.
His claims were quickly refuted by political commentator Brian Krassenstein, who pointed out that national leaders had no control over international sporting rules. He also clarified that Khelif wasn’t “transgender” and wrote:
“This woman is not “transgender”. She was born a woman and has always identified as a woman since birth.”
#1 The US president has no control over Olympic rules.
#2 This woman is not “transgender”. She was born a woman and has always identified as a woman since birth.
#3 Stop spreading hate towards transgender people merely because you are angry about the Olympic rules that allow a… pic.twitter.com/k11rtKd4es
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) August 1, 2024
One of the comments on Krassenstein’s X post stated:
“According to @IBA_Boxing that’s a dude.”
Maynard addressed this point in a post of his own and slammed those who demeaned Khelif for a medical condition she had no control over:
“I don’t agree with male-born athletes competing in women’s sports. But I also don’t agree with a woman-born athlete being persecuted for something she has no control over if it is a medical condition.”
I don’t agree with male born athletes competing in women sports. But I also don’t agree with a woman born athlete being persecuted for something she has no control over if it is medical condition. https://t.co/LRGdtIz0PF
— Gray Maynard (@GrayMaynard) August 2, 2024
Kamaru Usman reacts to ex-UFC star’s take on Imane Khelif boxing as a woman in Paris Olympics
Former UFC star Derek Brunson recently shared his thoughts on Imane Khelif competing at the Olympics as a woman and expressed surprise at finding out that the Algerian boxer was born a female.
In an X post, he shared a childhood picture of Khelif and pointed out that many may have “jumped the gun” without verification:
“Wait, so the internet is going NUTS over a girl they thought was a man, but turns out she’s actually a female… I’m so confused. I think y’all might’ve jumped the gun too fast on this 1.”
