USWNT legend Megan Rapinoe extends support to Imane Khelif amid Olympics boxing controversy; shares post calling out ‘racism’ and ‘misogyny’

Former United States women's national football team (USWNT) star Megan Rapinoe has come out in support of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who is in the middle of a gender controversy at the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Khelif was suspended by the International Boxing Association (IBA) last year at the 2023 World Championship held in New Delhi, India, for failing the gender eligibility tests along with another boxer Lin Yu-Ting. Both the Algerian and Taiwanese boxers, however, were allowed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to participate in the quadrennial Games as the IOC does not recognize the IBA and has its own eligibility criteria.

Megan Rapinoe, now 39 years old, shared a post by Edge of Sports on her Instagram story, which said the Algerian boxer deserved much better than the criticism she has faced.

"Solidarity with Algerian boxer Imane Khelif who deserves so much better than this tsunami of racism, misogyny, and transphobia being heaped upon her by a coterie of fascists, right-wingers, and useful idiots," mentioned the caption of the Edge of Sports post that Rapinoe shared (via Marca).

The post also compared Khelif's situation with sprinter Caster Semenya, another athlete who faced oppression for being a cis woman. It read:

"It's an example of how transphobia also oppresses cis women who don't conform to a bigot's standards of what a woman is supposed to look like."

Criticism faced by USWNT star Megan Rapinoe

Megan Rapinoe is no stranger to criticism, having been called out multiple times during her highly decorated playing career. The USWNT forward won two World Cups in 2015 and 2019 before calling curtains on her career after the 2023 World Cup. She even won the 2012 Olympics Gold in London and was voted the FIFA Best Woman's Player of the Year in 2019.

The former USWNT forward was involved in a verbal spat with former US President Donald Trump amidst the background of the USWNT's exit from the 2023 World Cup. Rapinoe has also faced abuse for being a vocal gay rights activist and being open about her partner, basketball player Sue Bird, who she got engaged to in 2020.

Rapinoe has also been under tremendous scrutiny due to her physical appearance so she would understand what Khelif is going through. Despite all the noise around her, Imane Khelif has sealed a medal at the Olympic Games by qualifying for the semi-final in her weight category.