The director of Algeria’s Olympic committee has claimed that a female boxer at the centre of a row over her eligibility to fight against women is the victim of a “Zionist” conspiracy.

Imane Khelif was accused of being a man and a “bullying cheat” after her Italian opponent withdrew from their bout last week after just 46 seconds.

Angela Carini claimed she had quit to “save my life” when the Algerian boxer hit her so hard she could not breathe.

Khelif was previously disqualified from the 2023 Women's World Boxing Championships which was organised by the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA) after she failed unspecified gender eligibility tests.

The restrictions include a ban on women with XY chromosomes from competing against other females. 

Khelif’s results from the IBA testing remain confidential, but the body has said she had a competitive advantage.

It has never been proven that Khelif has XY chromosomes, which are typically posessed by men, but can be present in women with a Differences of Sexual Development disorder. 

Despite claims that she is a man, Khelif has never identified as transgender or intersex.

After defeating Hungarian Luca Anna Hamori in the women’s 66kg division quarter-final, she insisted that she was a woman.

Speaking before the bout, which guaranteed that she would win at least a bronze medal, Yassine Arab, the director of the Algerian Olympic and Sports Committees, told the Syndney Morning Herald Khelif had been attacked by shadowy forces.

“The Zionist lobby, they want to break the mind of Imane. But now Imane is very strong. They don’t want that a Muslim girl or Arabic girl goes higher in the level of the rank of female boxing,” he said.

“We are all here for Imane. You can see all the support of everybody from the world. All the international press associations, they support Imane.”

Speaking to BeIN Sports, Khelif said: “This is a matter of dignity and honour for every woman or female.

"The entire Arab people have known me for years. For years I have been boxing in international federation competitions, they [the IBA] were unfair with me. But I have god.

“I want to tell the entire world that I am a female, and I will remain a female.

“I dedicate this medal to the world, and to all the Arabs and I tell you, long live Algeria."