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Algerian boxer Imane Khelif denies retirement, calling the claims false.
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The 26-year-old confirms she’s still training.
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The Olympic champion stays focused on her career.
Algerian Olympic champion Imane Khelif has denied reports that she has quit boxing and called these claims “false” and aimed at tarnishing her career.
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In a Facebook post, she stated that her former manager, Nasser Yesfah, has “betrayed her trust and her country” and so “he is no longer representing her.”
Khelif indicated that there has been no stoppage in her boxing and that she is still training, sharing her time between Algeria and Qatar in preparation for her future contests.
She said she was in top physical condition and that her “focus is on what’s next” in her career.
Earlier on Wednesday, the French outlet Nice Matin quoted Khelif’s former manager as saying she had “hung up her gloves,” though it remained unclear whether he meant merely a temporary break or full retirement.
These reports served as grounds for the direct denial from Khelif herself.
Khelif came to global attention at the Paris 2024 Games when she won a gold medal in the women’s 66kg category, a triumph that became mired in controversy and became a wider debate on the sport.
Since then, she has publicly protected her reputation and filed a lawsuit due to internet harassment related to the previous conflict.
Meanwhile, the World Boxing Championships are scheduled to take place in Liverpool from 4–14 September 2025.
Imane Khelif denies retirement, and her statement puts the story back in her hands – not in the hands of those who spoke for her.
Fans and federations will now wait to see whether she appears on the entry lists and returns to the ring this season.
