The award was determined by a vote of 74 sports journalists from The Associated Press and its members. Clark received 35 votes, while Olympic gymnast Simone Biles came in second with 25 votes, The New York Post reported.
The boxer made headlines this summer after Khelif was allowed to participate in the female division at the Paris Olympics despite being disqualified from the 2023 world championships over gender eligibility issues. According to IBA President Umar Kremlev, Khelif possessed "XY chromosomes," which are found in biological males.
Khelif won the gold medal in Paris after female opponents were unable to withstand the boxer's blows. Angela Carini, an Italian female boxer, forfeited her bout against Khelif because "one punch hurt too much," she stated at the time. Carini appeared distressed and injured on TV while discussing her match against Khelif, which sparked widespread backlash.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) defended its decision to allow Khelif and another boxer who failed gender eligibility tests to face off against women. "These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA. Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process," the committee said.
Khelif did not lose any matches at the Paris Olympics and returned to Algeria with a gold medal. The boxer was the most Googled athlete this year.
