Despite enduring days of intense scrutiny and online abuse over misconceptions about her gender, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif kept her nerves intact to secure a medal on Saturday at the Paris Olympics. The boxer triumphed over Hungary's Anna Luca Hamori with a decisive 5-0 victory in the quarterfinals of the women’s 66kg bout.

This victory ensures Khelif at least a bronze medal, marking her second win in what has been a tumultuous campaign at the Olympics.

Khelif faced international scrutiny following her bout against Italy's Angela Carini, where the latter abandoned the fight after just 46 seconds. This was followed by the banned International Boxing Association's (IBA) claim that Khelif failed an unspecified eligibility test for women's competition last year.

The withdrawal of Carini sparked international outrage over an already prominent divide over gender identity and regulations in sports.

Following her win over Hamori, Khelif took a bow in front of the fans and couldn't suppress her emotions. She broke down in tears as soon as she hugged her team.

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IOC President Thomas Bach had earlier defended Khelif and fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan following the controversy. Khelif and Lin were disqualified in the middle of last year's world championships by the International Boxing Association, the now-banned former governing body of Olympic boxing, after what it claimed were failed eligibility tests for the women's competition.

Both had competed in IBA events for several years without problems, and the Russian-dominated body – which has faced years of clashes with the IOC over judging scandals, leadership decisions and financial issues – has refused to provide any information about the tests, highlighting its lack of transparency in nearly every aspect of its dealings, particularly in recent years.

The IBA, which received the unprecedented punishment of being banned from Olympic participation in 2019 following years of conflict with the IOC, disqualified Khelif over allegedly higher levels of testosterone.

It did not release further details on the tests, citing confidentiality.