British boxer Savannah Marshall believes the criticism of Imane Khelif is ‘disgusting’ as the controversy surrounding the Algeria star continues to rumble on.
The 25-year-old has been permitted to take part in the games despite failing a gender eligibility test at the World Boxing Championships last year.
Khelif swept aside Angela Carini on Thursday, with the Italian forced to withdraw from their bout.
The International Olympic Committee have defended their decision to let the Algerian boxer compete in Paris – but that hasn’t stopped millions from venting their fury.
Imane Khelif has been permitted to take part in the Paris Olympics despite controversy surrounding her involvement
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British boxer Marshall believes it is an ‘absolute mess’ of a situation, telling the Daily Mail: “I just think it highlights Olympic boxing as a whole.
“How can one athlete be told they can’t compete in the World Championships but then the IOC say it’s OK to compete in the Olympics?
“It’s an absolute mess and should never have got to this point.”
Marshall does believe, however, that the criticism Khelief has had to endure is ‘disgusting’.
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“How much scrutiny she’s come up against through this is awful, it’s disgusting,” she added.
“It’s all mixed messages online and you’re seeing people write that it was a man versus a female and that isn’t the case at all, she’s been born like that (as a female).
“She’s been beaten by plenty of females before and she’s not superhuman.
“It’s not like she’s injecting testosterone at insane levels.”
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Marshall admits she was concerned for Carini, however.
The Italian withdrew from the bout after just 46 seconds after being on the receiving end of two powerful punches.
Marshall said: “100 per cent [I was concerned] because I spar men and there’s a massive difference in power between men and women.
“I’ve been hit by men and been hurt but I’ve never been hurt when I’ve been hit by a woman so I can really sympathise with her.”
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Imane Khelif critics have been branded ‘disgusting’ by boxing star Savannah Marshall
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Khelif is yet to address her win over Carini on Thursday.
But her opponent said she withdrew from the bout because she couldn’t cope with the pain, saying: “I wanted just to go to the ring to fight.
“I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much and so I said enough. Giving up was a gesture of maturity, not of surrender.”
Khelif will return to action against Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori on Saturday.
Imane Khelif is through to the quarter-finals of the Paris Olympics
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But Hamori has no interest in the controversy surrounding her opponent.
“I’m not scared. I don’t care about the press story and social media,” she said.