Olympic Champion Imane Khelif Denies Retirement Rumours, Slams Former Manager’s Claims

Algerian Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif has firmly denied reports suggesting she is retiring from the sport, dismissing claims made by her former manager as “false and malicious.”

The 26-year-old, who won gold in the women’s 66kg category at the Paris Olympic Games, issued a statement on Facebook on Wednesday to set the record straight.

“I would like to make it clear to the public that the reports of my retirement from boxing are false,” Khelif wrote.

She directly accused her ex-manager, Nasser Yesfah, of spreading misinformation, saying:

“This person no longer represents me in any way. He has betrayed my trust and my country with his false and malicious statements.”

French newspaper Nice Matin had earlier quoted Yesfah as saying Khelif had “hung up her gloves,” though it did not specify whether the decision was permanent.

Khelif, however, insisted she remains fully committed to her boxing career:

“I have never announced my retirement from boxing. I remain committed to my sporting career, I train regularly and I maintain my physical condition between Algeria and Qatar in preparation for upcoming events.”

The clarification comes just ahead of the World Boxing Championships, scheduled to take place in Liverpool from September 4 to 14, with the entry deadline set for Monday.

Khelif was at the centre of a high-profile gender controversy during the Olympics, but ultimately made history for Algeria by clinching gold — a major milestone in her career.