Motsi Mabuse has weighed in on the Paris Olympics boxing gender row, sharing a series of scathing posts on Friday as she defended boxer Imane Khelif.

Imane has made headlines around the world and become one of the most talked-about competitors after her opponent Angela Carini quit just 46 seconds into their bout at this summer’s Games.

The 25-year-old, one of two athletes expelled from last year’s world championships in New Delhi for not meeting gender eligibility criteria, has faced significant criticism since her latest fight.

On Instagram, Motsi defended the athlete, condemning the discussion about her gender eligibility as ‘disgusting’ and criticizing ‘racist,’ ‘misogynistic,’ and ‘small-minded’ people.

In a series of messages posted to her Instagram Stories, Motsi shared her thoughts on the row, with one fuming: ‘”Racism and transphobia will never end but we call it out!!!!!’

While another post read: ‘Khelif and Lin are two-time Olympians who fought in the Tokyo Games with no controversy. Lin has been an elite-level amateur boxer for a decade and Khelif for six years.

‘They were allowed to compete in Paris by the IOC task force, which has run the past two Olympic boxing tournaments. The IOC on Thursday defended their right to compete. Olympic boxing reached gender parity for the first time this year, with 124 men and 124 women competing in Paris.’

In an  additional post, the professional dancer Motsi ranted: ‘The discussion is absolutely disgusting. She has been boxing in competitions for a while. She has also lost matches. She was born as a girl. 

‘The Algerian Olympic Committee issued a statement Wednesday condemning what it termed ”lies” and ”unethical” targeting and maligning of our esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif, with baseless propaganda from certain foreign media outlets.’

In further posts in defence of Imane, Motsi went on to make comparisons, with one noting that ‘banning females with naturally high levels of testosterone is like banning basketball players for being to tall!’

Another saw her reference black athletes – tennis star Serena Williams and middle- distance runner Caster Semenya – stating they were both ‘accused of being a man when outperforming a white female’, with Motsi adding: ‘Take what you want from this’. 

The South African-German dancer also shared an image of Imane and a previous opponent Amy Broadhurst with footage of their bout in which Amy defeats Imane two years ago recently resurfaced.

She said alongside the image: ‘I don’t think she’s done anything to ‘cheat’. I think it’s the way she was born & that’s out of her control. The fact that she’s been [beaten] by 9 females before says it all!’ 

A further upload featured a video of a little girl screaming in frustration, with Motsi writing: ‘Every time speak to racist, ignorant, small minded, misogynistic, unreflected people.’ [sic] 

While an additional post saw her hit out at the those slamming her for bring racism into the row, as she retorted ‘then stop being racists’.

She also accused Imane’s defeated opponent of ’emotionally manipulating’ everyone and creating a ‘toxic atmosphere’ for the rest of Imane’s Olympic journey. 

It comes after the father of Algerian boxer Imane Khelife says the attacks being hurled against his daughter, who sparked controversy over her participation in the Paris Olympics after failing a testosterone test, are ‘immoral’ as he urged her to go all the way and win gold for her country.

Condemnation of her participation has come far and wide from female boxers to women’s rights campaigners.

Now Amar Khelife has rounded on the critics and said the controversy is part of ‘a ploy’ to stop his daughter winning a medal at the Olympics.

Speaking on Friday he said: ‘The attacks against her are immoral, it is not fair.

‘Imane is a little girl that has loved sport since she was six-years-old, she used to play football.

‘These critics and rumours aim to destabilize Imane, they don’t want her to be the champion of the world. 

‘I tell her prove them wrong in the ring and I hope that she will honor Algeria and Arabic countries and win the gold medal. 

‘She is our role model, and we want to be like her and honour Algeria and Tiaret.’

He went on to show an official document dated May 2, 1999, which states that Khelife Imane was born a female. 

His comments came as a human rights chief condemned Olympics boxing at Paris 2024 as an ‘absurd and dangerous spectacle’ ahead of a second female boxer who previously failed a gender test prepared to fight on Friday.

Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting won against Sitora Turdibekova of Uzbekistan in the 57kg category this afternoon.

The bouts have been condemned by the charity Sex Matters, while there has also been criticism from Harry Potter author JK Rowling and double Olympic gold medal-winning ex-boxer Nicola Adams.

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