Imane Khelif’s dad shared extremely poignant message amid Olympics controversy surrounding gender

Alongside the immense pride that Olympic boxer Imane Khelif's friends and family will be feeling for her following her performance in last night's 66kg final, it is also highly likely that the achievement harbours a touch of heartache.

Especially in the case of her father, Amar, who was forced to watch his daughter subjected to ceaseless 'bullying' after becoming the focal point of a colossal gender row, which took hold of the sporting tournament for several weeks.

Amar Khelif has been supporting his daughter throughout the competition. (AFP via Getty Images)

Ever since she stepped on Parisian soil last month, the Algerian sportswoman's presence at the games has been debated by organisers and fellow competitors alike.

Despite being born female, Khelif's sex was called in question by countless spectators, after her debut opponent Angela Carini of Italy accused her victory against her of being 'not fair'.

After Carini burst into tears and refused to shake Khelif's hand, it became apparent that the 25-year-old Italian was referencing the Algerian's prior disqualification from the World Boxing Championships, after she failed a gender eligibility test.

International Boxing Association (IBA) president Umar Kremlev also claimed at the time that the unspecified test reportedly showed Khelif to have the XY chromosome.

Thankfully, however, he International Olympic Committee (IOC) rightly deemed Khelif, 25, eligible for competition.

Khelif's debut competitor said her victory was 'unfair'. (Fabio Bozzani/Anadolu via Getty Images)

She has since knocked impressive opponents, Hungary's Anna Luca Hamori and Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng, out of the competition, managing to sail all the way through to last night's final.

That said, however, unlike her competitors, she has been forced to prove time and time again that she's worthy of a place in the prestigious games - something her father Amar has been heartbroken to witness.

Speaking to Reuters earlier this week (6 August), he began: "Having such a daughter is an honour because she is a champion, she honoured me and I encourage her and I hope she will get the medal in Paris.

"Imane is a little girl that has loved sport since she was six years old."

At open stage, Amar was even forced to clarify the gender of his daughter, by producing a ‘family official document’.

"May 2, 1999, Imane Khelif, female. It is written here you can read it, this document doesn't lie," he said.

Khelif herself has also spoken out about the controversy, asking viewers of SNTV to 'stop bullying' sportspeople.

The boxer sailed through to the final. (MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images)

"I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects," she previously said in Arabic.

"It can destroy people, it can kill people’s thoughts, spirit and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying."

Thankfully, however, the boxing star seemingly used the controversial gender debate as fire to fuel her all the way to the finals, which sees her competing against China's Wu Yu last night (9 Aug) in a nail-biting bid for Gold.

And at the end of the evening, she was named by judges as the women's 66kg division victor, in a spectacular triumph.

Khelif beat the Chinese world champion by unanimous decision over five rounds to win welterweight gold.

Speaking to press after her victory, she once again emphasised: "I am fully qualified to take part in this competition. I am a woman like any other woman.

"I was born a woman. I have lived as a woman. I competed as a woman - there is no doubt about that."