“In Algeria it is illegal to be gay”: Mark Cuban stands with Imane Khelif, retorts to Donald Trump’s comment

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has responded to Donald Trump’s recent comments about Algerian boxer Imane Khelif. Khelif is guaranteed at least a bronze medal after defeating Hungary's Anna Luca Hamori in the quarters, 5-0.

In the aftermath of her match against Angela Carini, US Presidential candidate Donald Trump claimed Khelif had a clear advantage over her opponent. Trump said the following during an Atlanta rally:

“This young girl from Italy, she got hit so hard, she didn’t know what the hell hit her. So the person that transitioned, he was a good male boxer, and she didn’t even go down. He hit her with two jabs. She said ‘I am out.’”

The video quickly went viral on Twitter, leading to Mark Cuban himself responding:

“Even worse. She is from Algeria. In Algeria it is illegal to be gay. The idea they would send a gay or trans Olympian is insane.”

Imane Khelif’s father comes to her defense

Imane Khelif is now guaranteed to become an Olympic medallist. She has a chance of finishing in the top two, and will now take on Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng in her semifinal bout. Amid the discourse on her participation, Khelif's father came to her defense while speaking to Sky News:

"My child is a girl. She was raised as a girl. She's a strong girl. I raised her to be hard-working and brave. She has a strong will to work and to train."

With the situation very much a topic of discussion in the sporting world, Donald Trump's comments have not sat well with everyone. While some agree with his thoughts on the matter, many see the public reaction to be a combination of misunderstanding and transphobia.

Dwayne Wade's wife Gabrielle Union took to Twitter to share her thoughts:

"Transphobia, misogyny and good old plain racism. For many athletes, not fitting into arbitrary gender norms creates this whirling dervish of bigotry, harassment and abuse."

The upcoming fight between Imane Khelif and Janjaem Suwannapheng will doubtless be heavily scrutinized and much discussed by the sporting world.