Olympic Gender Controversy Sees Boxer Exit Fight in 46 Seconds
Italy’s Angela Carini Stops Bout Against Algerian Imane Khelif
A brewing controversy in women’s boxing erupted on Wednesday in Olympic boxing news when Italy’s Angela Carini ended her bout with Algerian Imane Khelif by retiring in less than a minute. Controversy in women’s boxing is drawing significant attention.
“I have never been hit so hard in my life. It’s up to the IOC to judge.”
Italy’s Angela Carini after lasting just 46 seconds against Algeria’s intersex athlete Imane Khelif.
Biological firestorm at Paris Olympics. pic.twitter.com/BQRTF9Dc3m
— Pete Badel (@badel_cmail) August 1, 2024
“I’m used to suffering” Carini said to reporters for 20 minutes through tears. “I’ve never taken a punch like that, it’s impossible to continue. I’m nobody to say it’s illegal.”
“I got into the ring to fight. But I didn’t feel like it anymore after the first minute. I started to feel a strong pain in my nose. I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much and so I said enough. I’m leaving with my head held high.”
Officially, Khelif won by ABD (abandoned). The actual bout in the welterweight division can be seen below:
Angela Carini was forced to compete in a boxing match against Imane Khelif at the Olympics.
She quit 46 seconds in after getting punched in the face. Imane was declared the winner.
Khelif failed gender eligibility tests at the 2023 World Championships.
Poor girl. She trained… pic.twitter.com/FzstBTtUOs
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 1, 2024
Root of Controversy
Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing a gender eligibility test, causing division at the Paris Olympics. There’s no indication she identifies as transgender, per The Associated Press.
Controversy in women’s boxing carried into the Olympics because Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting competed despite past disqualifications.
Khelif was disqualified hours before her gold medal match against a Chinese opponent due to elevated testosterone levels.
“All athletes at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with eligibility and medical regulations” the International Olympic Committee stated.
Lin, 28, is a two-time world gold medalist, and Khelif won a silver at the 2022 tournament. Lin lost her bronze medal for failing eligibility requirements based on a biochemical test, the IOC database stated.
The Algerian Olympic Committee condemned “lies” and “unethical targeting” of Imane Khelif by foreign media outlets.
Controversy in women’s boxing continues as Yu-Ting, 28, begins competition Friday against Sitora Turdibekova of Uzbekistan in the featherweight division.
IOC’s Mark Adams today on Olympic boxing scandal: “It’s not helpful to start stigmatising people. I think we all have a responsibility not to turn it into some kind of witch-hunt.”
I would say that by far the greater responsibility is for the Games to protect women’s safety.
— Oliver Brown (@oliverbrown_tel) July 31, 2024
This controversy in women’s boxing will affect the 2024 Paris Olympic Odds.
