The leaders of the French left welcomed Imane Khelif, the gold medal-winning boxer at the center of a gender identity dispute, saying they like to drink “fascist tears” for her controversial Olympic triumph.
THE 25 year old Algeriand overcame China’s Yang Liu to win the women’s welterweight title in Paris on Friday night.
Ms. Khelif was allowed to participate in the Olympic Games despite having failed a gender eligibility test held by the International Boxing Association.
Her first round opponent, Italian Angela Carini, withdrew after just 46 seconds, saying she had never been hit so hard before and gave up to “save my life”.
Details of the test that Khelif allegedly failed have not been released, but it has been claimed that she has male XY chromosomes.
Olympic rules depend on the passport given to fighters and organizers do not carry out gender tests.
Elon Musk, JK Rowling and donald trump are among those who have criticized Ms. Khelif’s participation, insinuating that she is a man and arguing that she poses a threat to the contestants.
‘Fascist criticism’
But after his victory, prominent members of the French left were quick to praise Khelif for overcoming “fascist criticism.”
Sandrine Rousseau, Green MP, said: “We tell you, the tears of fascists make you stronger. Well done, Imane Khelif.”
Aurélie Trouvé, MP for the far-left party La France Insoumise (LFI), said: “Bravo to Imane Khelif, who faced so many filthy attacks with great courage. The best answer is this gold medal. Strength to her. What a champion.”
Ersilia Soudais, another LFI MP, said: “Keep crying, fascists. I drink your tears.”
Ségolène Royal, ex-wife of François Hollande, former Socialist president, said: “When a man dominates competitions, we say he is an exceptional athlete. His hormones are not examined.”
France has reacted more cautiously to so-called “woke” culture than Britain, with cross-party concerns about the importation of politics from US college campuses.
Jean-Michel Blanquer, former education minister in President Emmanuel Macron’s government, created a think tank to defend France from “woke” culture.
But France’s left-wing alliance, the New Popular Front (NPF), campaigned for citizens to be able to easily change their gender in any city council, a move Macron called “completely grotesque.”
The NPF, which includes the LFI, came first in the July elections, but was unable to secure the majority that would allow it to approve the policy.
