Imane Khelif was celebrated as a hero upon her return to Algiers following her victory in the women's 66kg boxing final at the Paris Olympics.
The 25-year-old athlete was greeted by cheering crowds and chants of "Tahia Imane" (Long live Imane) at the airport.
Khelif has been the centre of a gender identity controversy. Her win over China’s Yang Liu led to intense debate and criticism, including comments from former US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk. Trump said he would "keep men out of women's sports", while Musk and others joined the debate.
Khelif, along with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, was previously disqualified from last year’s world championships due to gender eligibility issues. Despite this, both were allowed to compete in Paris. The International Boxing Association (IBA) claimed that Khelif and Lin had failed gender eligibility testing, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) cleared them to participate.
In response to the online abuse she faced, Khelif has filed a complaint for cyberbullying, with her lawyer describing it as a "fight for justice".