After just 46-seconds into the fight, Angela Carini of Italy abandoned her bout against Imane Khelif of Algeria, who last year failed testosterone and gender eligibility tests at the World Championships, sparking huge controversy at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Following her tearful exit from the arena, Carini said afterwards that she had pulled out after being hit harder than she had ever been hit before.
Her coach, Emanuel Renzini, told reporters that he was unsure if the boxer’s nose was broken and that she had been warned, by many people in Italy, not to take the fight.
Khelif, along with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, were both permitted to fight at the Olympics with the IOC defending the decision to let them fight.
“All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations,” the International Olympic Committee said in a statement prior to the Games.
Last year, the IOC stripped the International Boxing Association (IBA) of its status as boxing’s governing body over governance issues, and took charge of the Paris 2024 boxing competition.
Both Khelif and Yu-ting were disqualified last year after failing the IBA eligibility rules that prevent athletes with male XY chromosomes competing in women’s events.
Following Khelif’s win on Thursday, social media was flooded with the trending hashtag #IStandWithAngelaCarini.
“Men don’t belong in women’s sports #IStandWithAngelaCarini Let’s get it trending.”
“This is a biological male fighting a female & absolutely everyone can see it, they have also failed gender screening, twice & have XY chromosomes. There is no ambiguity that the IOC do not care if a female gets seriously hurt. Or worse. I’m astonished at the weakness of the media,” said Sharron Davis MBE, an Olympic medalist.
Khelif, who fights again Saturday, didn’t speak to reporters.
Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting will fight Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova on Friday.
Photo: Sharron Davis MBE (Twitter)
