Amy Broadhurst Defended Former Opponent Imane Khelif
Amy Broadhurst publicly supported Imane Khelif in a July 31, 2024, social-media post, saying she did not believe her former opponent had cheated. The intervention came before the Algerian boxer’s first Paris Olympic contest and drew on their shared competitive history.
A world final connected the fighters
Broadhurst had defeated Khelif in the 63kg final at the 2022 women’s world championships in Istanbul. She used quick combinations and movement before securing a unanimous 5–0 decision.
The Irish boxer strengthened her position during the second round and maintained her pace through the third. That title-winning meeting gave her later comments the perspective of an athlete who had competed directly against Khelif.
Broadhurst objected to the treatment
In her July post, Broadhurst said numerous people had contacted her about Khelif. She rejected the suggestion of cheating and pointed to the Algerian’s previous defeats as part of her response to the discussion.
She subsequently called for the hateful comments to stop. Her statements addressed the treatment of a former rival rather than presenting a medical assessment or an official eligibility ruling.
The Olympic authorities published their explanation
The IOC and Paris Boxing Unit stated that all tournament participants met the applicable entry and medical regulations. They also criticized the procedure used for the IBA’s 2023 disqualifications.
Khelif went on to win the Olympic 66kg gold medal against Yang Liu on August 9. Broadhurst’s intervention remained a notable expression of support from someone who had previously beaten her in a world championship final.
Sources
- RTÉ: Broadhurst’s July 31 comments
- RTÉ: Istanbul final and unanimous score
- SportsJOE: subsequent appeal to stop the hate
- IOC/PBU: applicable rules and procedural position
- NBC Olympics: final medal result
