Imane Kehlif is the most googled female athlete of 2024 amid Olympic boxing’s gender controversy

The world watched as Imane Khelif won Olympic gold in women’s boxing at the Paris Olympics. Then it was off to Google to search for answers to many, many confusing questions.

Google released its Year in Search data this week and revealed that the most searched athlete on the platform in 2024 was Khelif. Khelif was searched more often than prominent superstar athletes Simone Biles, Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.

The Algerian boxer caused mass controversy when she competed in the Paris Olympics as a woman, despite reportedly being born with the XY chromosomes associated with men.

Khelif’s participation and run to the gold medal was one of the biggest controversies of this year’s controversial Summer Olympics. The latest search data from Google suggests it may have been the biggest sports controversy in the world last year.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Algeria’s Imane Khelif (left) punches Italy’s Angela Carini in the preliminary round of 16 of the women’s 66kg boxing match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the North Paris Arena in Villepinte on August 1, 2024. (MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images)

The moment that first caught the attention of millions was when Khelif was seen punching Italian boxer Angela Carini in the face with unusual force and force seen in women’s sports. Carini withdrew from the game in tears after just 46 seconds, crying about how painful the experience was afterwards.

“I went into the ring to fight,” Carini said in Paris via Italy’s ANSA. “I didn’t give up, but one punch hurt too much. And so I said ‘enough’.”

Those who subsequently searched Google for more information about Khelif may have learned of previous cases in which the boxer was previously disqualified from international competitions.

Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 championships ahead of a gold medal match over gender eligibility issues. International Boxing Association (IBA) President Umar Kremlev released a statement to Russian agency TASS about why Khelif was disqualified.

“Using DNA testing, we identified a number of athletes who attempted to trick their colleagues into posing as women. According to the results of the tests, it was proven that they have XY chromosomes. Such athletes were excluded from competition,” said Kremlev.

RILEY GAINES CALLS BOXER A ‘HERO’ BECAUSE SHE FORGOT MATCH AGAINST FIGHTER WITH XY CHROMOSOMES, SLAMS IOC

The Algerian Olympic Committee said at the time that Khelif had been disqualified for “medical reasons.” According to Reuters, Algerian media reported that Khelif was disqualified due to high testosterone levels. Khelif claimed the disqualification was part of a “conspiracy” to prevent Algeria from winning gold.

“There are some countries that didn’t want Algeria to win a gold medal,” Khelif told Algeria’s Ennahar TV. “This is a conspiracy, and a big conspiracy, and we will not remain silent about it.”

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and President Thomas Bach vigorously defended Khelif’s inclusion, insisting that the boxer met all the necessary qualifications to compete in the Olympics as a woman. In a statement on August 1, the IOC claimed that Khelif “complies with the eligibility and entry requirements of the competition as well as all applicable medical regulations of the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU).”

The IBA released a statement before Khelif’s fight and explained why the fighter was disqualified, claiming that Khelif had undergone two tests, in 2022 and 2023, and failed both.

“Our committees have thoroughly reviewed and confirmed the decision made during the World Cup,” the IBA said. “While the IBA remains committed to ensuring a level playing field across all of our events, we express our concerns about the inconsistent application of eligibility criteria by other sports organizations, including those that oversee the Olympic Games. “The IOC’s differing rules on these matters, in which the IBA is not involved, raise serious questions about both competitive fairness and athlete safety.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Imane Khelif of Team Algeria celebrates victory against Anna Luca Hamori of Team Hungary after the Women’s -66kg quarterfinal match on the eighth day of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the North Paris Arena on August 3, 2024 in Paris. (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

The controversy became so relevant around the world that even President-elect Donald Trump commented on it during a rally in August, referencing Khelif’s fight against Carini.

“Now all you have to do is look at the boxers,” Trump said. “This young girl from Italy, a boxing champion, was hit so hard she didn’t know what the hell hit her. “It’s a person who has changed,” Trump said of Khelif. “He was a good boxer. And (Carini) didn’t even go down. He hit her with two jabs and she said, ‘I’m out.'”

After Trump used footage of Khelif’s Olympic boxing matches in campaign ads promising to end trans inclusion in women’s sports, Khelif spoke out against Trump.

“I have seen that there are many politicians and presidents who speak without a source and that is something strange because they make statements without basis and without reality,” Khelif said via The Telegraph.

Khelif has filed a lawsuit against several people, including Elon Musk and JK Rowling, who criticized the athlete and the IOC for the inclusion and accused him of sexual “acts of serious online harassment.”

Khelif threatened another lawsuit in November against a French journalist over a report that claimed the boxer had testicles.

“We will meet the French journalist in court,” the Algerian athlete said via NDTV.

Follow Fox News Digital Sports coverage on X, and subscribe the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.