The father of Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer at the center of an Olympic row over whether athletes with Sexual Development Differences (DSD) should compete as women, said she had honored his family, calling the attacks against her immoral.

Khelif failed a gender appropriateness test at the International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championships last year, but was allowed to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee, reports KosovaPress.

Her quick Olympic victory over Italian boxer Angela Carini, who retired from their duel after suffering a series of painful blows, sparked a wider debate about gender differences in sport.

Khelif will face Hungary's Anna Luca Hamori later today in the women's lightweight quarterfinals.

In an interview at his modest home on the outskirts of the northern Algerian city of Tiaret, Amar Khelif said he was proud of his daughter and supported her to win a medal for all of Algeria.

"Having such a girl is an honor because she is a champion, she has honored me and I encourage her and I hope she gets the medal in Paris," he said.

"She is a little girl who has loved sports since she was 6 years old," he added.

He then revealed an official-looking document, which showed her birthday.

"This is the official document of our family, May 2, 1999, Imane Khelif, female. It is written here you can read it, this document does not lie," he said.

Khelif fell foul of IBA eligibility rules that prevent athletes with XY chromosomes from competing in women's events when she was disqualified hours before her gold medal match in New Delhi last year.

However, the IBA was stripped of its status as the global governing body for boxing by the IOC last year, leaving the IOC in charge of running boxing events at the Paris Games.

The IOC, which says inclusion should be the default and athletes should only be excluded from women's competition if there are clear fairness or safety issues, has defended its decision to allow Khelif to compete.

At the Tiaret boxing club, where a poster of Khalif is displayed above the ring, young female boxers came to the defense of their idol.

Bouchra Rebihi, a 17-year-old who dreams of becoming a pro, scorned Khelif's opponents.

"I know Imane Khelif as Algerian champion many times, African champion as well and Arab champion," she said.

"These critics aim to destabilize her so that she fails in the boxing ring, but she is a champion and will remain a champion," Rebihi said further.