Khelif’s previous bout lasted just 46 seconds as Italian Angela Carini withdrew, saying afterwards that she was “protecting her life”.

That fight sparked widespread debate.

Khelif and the other boxer involved in the eligibility controversy, Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, have been strongly backed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) who run the boxing competitions at the Games.

IOC president Thomas Bach said earlier on Saturday there was “never any doubt” the pair are women.

Khelif reached the final of last year’s World Championships before being disqualified by the IBA – a Russia-led organisation suspended by the IOC in 2019 because of concerns over its finances, governance, ethics, refereeing and judging.

The IBA said Khelif “failed to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women’s competition, as set and laid out” in its regulations.

According to the IBA’s regulations: “Boxers will compete against boxers of the same gender, meaning women v women and men v men as per the definitions of these rules.

The IBA defines a woman, female or girl as “an individual with chromosome XX” and men, males or boys as “an individual with chromosome XY”.

The IOC, which defines gender differently, said the pair were “suddenly disqualified without any due process”.

Khelif will meet Janjaem Suwannapheng, who beat favourite Busenaz Surmeneli – the 2021 Olympic champion from Turkey – in the semi-final on Tuesday.

Even if she loses she will leave the Paris Games with a bronze medal.