In a gym in northern Algeria’s Kabylia region, 15-year-old Cerine Kessal pounded her fists into a punching bag, her sights set on greater achievements. The two-time national champion dreams of following in the footsteps of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who won Olympic gold last year. Khelif’s victory sparked newfound interest among Algerian girls and women in the traditionally male-dominated sport, with gyms across the country seeing a surge in memberships. She emerged from the Paris Olympics as a trailblazer for aspiring female athletes in Algeria, despite a gender controversy over her eligibility. In 2023, the International Boxing Association barred Khelif from its world championships, claiming she had failed gender eligibility tests due to carrying XY chromosomes. The 25-year-old champion rejected the IBA’s “false and offensive” allegations and vowed last month to continue fighting “in the ring” and “in the courts.” Manel Berkache, a former national champion and coach at JSA, noted that mothers, in particular, are driving the shift. Hocine Oucherif, vice president of the Algerian Boxing Federation, described it as “the Imane Khelif phenomenon.” He revealed that over 100 junior female boxers participated in this year’s national championship, more than double the number from the previous year.
