​Amid the controversy, French president Emmanuel Macron's photo with Imane Khelif went viral social media users asking whether Macron was a fan of the Algerian boxer. The photo dates back to 2022, according to the social media posts. Macron and Imane Khelif seem to have a lot of chemistry," a post that shared the video read adding that Macron in 2022 told Imane that if she reached the final of the Olympics in Paris, he will come to support her.