Paris Olympics: Italy's Angela Carini abandons fight with Algeria's Imane Khelif,

Paris Olympics: Italy's Angela Carini abandons fight with Algeria's Imane Khelif, who failed gender test, after 46 seconds
In a dramatic turn of events at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Italy's Angela Carini abandoned her 66kg preliminary boxing match against Algeria's Imane Khelif after just 46 seconds, sparking renewed debate over gender eligibility in sports. The match took place at the North Paris Arena on August 1, and Carini's swift decision to exit the bout has been met with a mix of sympathy and controversy.

Carini's coach, Emanuel Renzini, recounted the moment she decided to stop the fight. Just seconds into the match, Carini was overwhelmed by a series of powerful jabs from Khelif, prompting her to raise her hand and halt the fight. "She’s too strong," Carini reportedly told her coach, explaining that her nose hurt too much to continue. Despite Renzini's encouragement to last until the end of the first round, Carini signaled once more to stop after taking another punch.

Visibly emotional, Carini addressed reporters for 20 minutes following the fight, apologizing to her country for her early exit. "I had entered the ring to fight," she said in Italian. "I didn't give up, but a punch hurt too much, and so I said enough. I go out with my head held high."

The dominant performance by Khelif has reignited discussions about her eligibility to compete in the women's division. Khelif, along with Chinese Taipei's Lin Yu-ting, was disqualified from the 2023 World Boxing Championships due to International Boxing Association (IBA) rules that prevent athletes with XY chromosomes from competing in women's events. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has taken over the governance of Olympic boxing due to various controversies surrounding the IBA, has chosen to disregard these disqualifications for the Paris Olympics.

IOC spokesperson Mark Adams addressed the issue earlier in the week, stating, "Everyone competing in the women's category is complying with the competition eligibility rules. They are women in their passports." Adams added that these athletes had competed in numerous events over the years and were not new to the sport.

In response to the IOC's stance, the IBA released a statement expressing concern over the inconsistency in eligibility criteria. "The IOC’s differing regulations on these matters, in which IBA is not involved, raise serious questions about both competitive fairness and athletes’ safety," the statement read.

Khelif did not comment on the matter following her victory, with her coaches escorting her past reporters. The Algerian Olympic Committee had previously issued a statement condemning what it described as "unethical targeting and maligning" of Khelif by foreign media.

Italian officials had publicly questioned the fairness of allowing Khelif to compete. Many urged Carini to avoid the fight, fearing for her safety. Despite this, Carini chose to face Khelif, only to find herself overwhelmed by her opponent's strength.

Khelif's journey to the Olympics is marked by significant personal challenges. Growing up in a rural village in Western Algeria, she faced opposition from her own family and community. Khelif's determination saw her travel long distances to train, selling scrap metal and homemade couscous to fund her bus fare to the nearest boxing gym. Her hard work paid off with notable successes, including a fifth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics and medals at the African and World Championships.

The issue of gender eligibility in sports has long been contentious, with South African runner Caster Semenya often at the center of the debate. However, the physical nature of boxing adds another layer of complexity, as highlighted by the experiences of Khelif's previous opponents.

This is the second consecutive Olympics to end in disappointment for Carini, who endured the death of her father the night before her opening match in Tokyo. She took a two-year hiatus from boxing before returning to training eight months ago.

The controversy is far from over, with Lin Yu-ting set to compete against Uzbekistan's Sitora Turdibekova in the 57kg division and Carini still scheduled for a women's 66kg quarterfinal. The ongoing discussions about fairness and safety in women's sports are certain to continue as these athletes prepare to step into the ring once more.

[uae]

With iman the great Algerian beautiful brave girl