Algerian boxer Imane Khelif sends special message before Olympic finals

Algerian boxing Olympian Imane Khelif sent a special message to Abderrahmane Hammad, the Algerian Minister of Youth and Sports, just hours before her final bout in the 66kg weight category at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Khelif expressed her gratitude in a video from the Olympic Village in Paris, saying, "Hammad has been a key part of my progress to this stage; he has been with me from the start." 

She added, "I hope Minister Hammad will be by my side in the final, just before the final step toward achieving my dream."

Hammad, a former Olympic champion who won a bronze medal in the high jump at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, has strong connections with Algerian athletes due to his previous role as president of the Algerian Olympic Committee.

Khelif, 25, will face her Chinese opponent Yang Li, 31, who won the World Championship in 2023 in New Delhi. 

The Algerian boxer was previously denied the chance to compete against Yang Li in the final due to an "unjust" decision by the International Boxing Association (IBA), which excluded her over gender testing. 

However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has now given her a golden opportunity for redemption in the 2024 Olympics.

The much-anticipated boxing finals in the 66 kg weight class will take place on Friday at 11:51 PM Jordan time.