Rome, Aug 20 (LaPresse) – After winning Olympic gold a year ago and amid controversies, boxer Imane Khelif has decided to quit boxing. The Algerian, registered with Nice Azur Boxe—the club she chose to turn professional—no longer competes. “She hasn’t just left Nice, she has left the world of boxing,” revealed Nasser Yesfah, Khelif’s former manager and welterweight Olympic gold medalist known for her hyper-androgynous style. “At the moment, she has stopped everything. She hasn’t resumed; she no longer practices boxing. After what happened at the Olympics…” he added. Hours later, Yesfah retracted his statements, saying they were his personal interpretation. In fact, he has had no contact with Khelif since the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the Algerian won gold. Khelif’s future plans remain unclear. After her Olympic title, she had expressed the desire to go professional and also to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The Khelif case erupted a year ago following the first-round withdrawal of Italian boxer Angela Carini at the Olympics, who left the match after a painful punch. Carini stated she did not give up but had to stop due to the pain.
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