Imane Khelif’s Shocking Feminine Makeover Stuns Fans: Controversial Olympic Boxer Poses with Friend After Revealing ‘Difficult Phase’ – Viral Photo
Imane Khelif (Photo Via Imagn Images)
It’s not every day that you see a boxer with a makeover. But Imane Khelif, Algeria’s Olympic boxing champion, has done just that.
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A year after her controversial win in Paris, the 25-year-old surprised fans by showing off a glamorous makeover while admitting she is dealing with a brutal stretch in her life.
She captured gold in Paris 2024, one of the most talked-about incidents of the Olympics, and has stayed away from competition since.
Her win sparked global headlines after the International Boxing Association claimed she failed a gender eligibility test in 2023. That row still lingers, but Khelif spoke after a leaked medical report questioned her right to compete.
On Tuesday, the Algerian boxer reminded her supporters that she is still standing. Television host Nassima Djaffar Bey shared a photo with Khelif on Instagram, showing the champion with flowing hair, full makeup, and a radiant smile. The image quickly spread, with many noting how different she looked from the fighter who last stepped into the ring a year ago.
Khelif Faces Battles Outside The Ring
Imane Khelif (Michael Madrid-Imagn Images)
Khelif admitted last week that she is living through a “difficult phase.”
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In a moving Instagram post, she reflected on her Olympic win, writing, “It was an unforgettable moment… but today, on the anniversary of that triumph, I’m going through a difficult phase filled with challenges, silence, and waiting.” She added that true strength comes from perseverance, not just victory, and promised her fans she would return stronger.
Khelif with Nassima Djaffar Bey (Photo Via Instagram)
The makeover comes at a time when her career’s future remains uncertain. World Boxing, the new governing body, has introduced mandatory genetic testing for all athletes over 18. The move followed fierce debate about eligibility and fairness in women’s sports. Khelif even skipped a proposed comeback at the Eindhoven Box Cup, just days after the new policy was announced.
Calls to strip her Olympic medal still echo after last year’s row, but IOC president Kirsty Coventry shut that door earlier this summer.
She confirmed there would be no retrospective action while stressing the committee’s focus on protecting women’s competition. Then, Imane Khelif shared her opinion on these rules.
Despite all these, Khelif insists she is not finished. She has already hinted at a return in Los Angeles 2028, possibly in a new weight class. For now, the champion says she is holding on to resilience, to faith, and to the spirit that carried her through Paris.
