Italian boxer Angela Carini abandons fight against Algerian Imane Khelif after 46 seconds, citing pain from a punch. Khelif's eligibility has been questioned after failing gender tests at the 2023 World Boxing Championships.
On Thursday, the world witnessed a dramatic turn of events at the Paris Olympics boxing competition. Italian female boxer Angela Carini abruptly abandoned her bout against Algerian opponent Imane Khelif just 46 seconds into the match. The shocking move sent shockwaves through the arena and sparked a flurry of questions.
Carini, who was competing in the 66-kilogram weight class, was seen going to her corner twice during the fight. The first instance was to have her headgear tightened after taking a punch to the face. However, the second time, she signaled to the referee that she was ending the fight. Tears streamed down her face as Khelif celebrated her victory.
Controversy Surrounds Algerian Boxer's Eligibility at Paris Olympics
Speaking to Italian sports news agency ASNA, Carini explained her decision. "I went into the ring to fight," she said. "I didn't give up, but a punch hurt too much, and so I said enough. … I'm leaving with my head held high."
Khelif's presence at the Olympics has been shrouded in controversy. In 2023, she was disqualified from the World Boxing Championships after the International Boxing Association (IBA) determined that she had failed gender tests. According to Reuters, Khelif was found to have elevated levels of testosterone.
Controversy Surrounds Algerian Boxer's Eligibility at Paris Olympics
IBA President Umar Kremlev explained the decision at the time, according to Russia's Tass News Agency. "Based on DNA tests, we identified a number of athletes who tried to trick their colleagues into posing as women. According to the results of the tests, it was proved that they have XY chromosomes. Such athletes were excluded from competition," Kremlev said.
Despite the IBA's findings, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) cleared Khelif to compete at the Olympics. The Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) has strongly condemned the criticism directed towards Khelif. "COA strongly condemns the unethical targeting and maligning of our esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif, with baseless propaganda from certain foreign media outlets," the organisation said via Reuters.
Controversy Surrounds Algerian Boxer's Eligibility at Paris Olympics
Italian officials have expressed concerns about Khelif's eligibility. Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi said, "It is surprising that there are no certain, strict, uniform criteria at the international level." He added that it was "strange that there can be a suspicion, and far more than a suspicion, of an unfair and potentially dangerous contest for one of the contenders at the Olympics, an event that symbolises sporting fairness."
The controversy surrounding Khelif's eligibility has cast a shadow over the boxing competition at the Paris Olympics. As the tournament progresses, it remains to be seen whether concerns about fairness and safety will continue to surface.
