‘Why Aren’t Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps Banned?’ Taapsee Pannu Speaks Out On Imane Khelif Gender Row

Bollywood actress Taapsee Pannu is facing severe backlash on social media after sharing her opinion on the gender eligibility controversy involving Algerian boxer Imane Khelif at the Paris 2024 Olympics. In an interview with ANI, the ‘Pink’ actress defended Khelif by highlighting that some athletes, like American swimmer Michael Phelps and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, naturally possess a biological advantage over others. Taapsee was quoted as saying, “Our argument in the film (Rashmi Rocket) was that there are so many athletes who are born with an edge over the others. Like Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, all of them were born with a certain biological edge over the others. Why are they not banned?” This statement did not sit well with several netizens, who heavily trolled the actress for her understanding of the issue.