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Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu opened up on the gender controversy that surrounded Algerian boxer Imane Khelif at the Paris Olympics 2024. Pannu defended the boxer and said that some people are born with an edge over the others. Not only this, but Pannu took the example of Jamaican runner Usain Bolt and American swimmer Michael Phelps. Notably, Algerian boxer Khelif and another female boxer Lin Yu-ting found themselves in the middle of controversy and faced intense scrutiny about their gender and eligibility to compete with women.
Khelif defeated Yang Liu to clinch gold in women’s boxing 66kg at the Summer Games 2024. Taapsee Pannu who played the role of a female athlete who faces in Rashmi Rocket, addressed the issue and drew similarities and parallels with her film. Pannu told ANI, "I played a role on that subject. I did a film called Rashmi Rocket which was about a female athlete being banned due to high level of testosterone. We presented our views and that is why I think the beauty of the kind of films I get is that I get my films to talk about the issues I personally believe in instead of making a specific statement about it."
The ‘Soorma’ actor went on to say, “Our argument in the film was that there are so many athletes who are born with an edge over the others. Like Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, all of them were born with a certain biological edge over the others. Why are they not banned? If she has taken injections or something that is illegal, then of course she should be banned. But if she has not, then why should she be banned?”
It is to be noted that Khelif was earlier disqualified from participating in the world championships after she allegedly failed testosterone tests. However, the details of the eligibility tests were not revealed. The boxer later said that it was a conspiracy against her.
