Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who gained global attention during the Paris 2024 Olympics, has set her sights on defending her Olympic title at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, brushing off criticism from former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Khelif, a cisgender woman who claimed gold in the women’s 66kg boxing category, faced a wave of online abuse after her swift 46-second victory over Italian boxer Angela Carini in a preliminary match. Misinformed commentators with transphobic rhetoric falsely labeled Khelif as a man.

In a recent interview with ITV News, Khelif expressed her shock at the backlash on social media during the Games.

“I was surprised to see heads of state, celebrities, and former athletes discussing me without verifying the facts,” she told the British outlet. “It affected me deeply because they spoke without any reliable information or documentation. Many people on social media echoed these claims without credible sources.”

Despite clear evidence proving otherwise, Trump falsely referred to Khelif as a transgender athlete, further fueling online attacks.

“Who could forget last year’s Paris Olympics, where a male boxer stole the women’s gold medal?” Trump said earlier this year while signing the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order, aimed at restricting transgender women from competing in female sports.

Unfazed by the controversy, Khelif remains focused on her goal of securing a second Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles.

“I will give you a simple response: The U.S. president made a decision regarding transgender policies in America. I am not transgender,” she told ITV News.

“This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me. I see myself as a woman, just like any other woman. I was born a girl, raised as a girl, and have lived my life as one.”

Before her Paris 2024 triumph, Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 world championships held by the International Boxing Association (IBA). The IBA—an organization with close ties to the Russian government—was later stripped of recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) due to corruption and other issues.

The IBA claimed that Khelif’s gender eligibility test indicated she had an unfair competitive advantage, yet no concrete evidence was provided. The organization has since taken legal action against both Khelif and the IOC, challenging her participation in the Olympics. The IOC dismissed the lawsuit, calling it “yet another example of IBA’s campaign against the IOC.”

IOC President Thomas Bach has defended Khelif, Sports that the controversy was fueled by Russian misinformation during the Games.

“There was an impression created that these boxers were transgender athletes, but they are not,” Bach . “They were born and raised as women, competing as women throughout their careers, even at the Tokyo Olympics, without any controversy.”

While Khelif remains strong amid the global scrutiny, she acknowledged the toll the situation has taken on her family.

“My mother was severely affected, visiting the hospital almost daily,” she shared. “My relatives and the entire Algerian people felt the weight of the situation. This was no longer just about sports—it turned into a major media storm.”