Algerian alleged transgender boxer Imane Khelif has won her first Paris 2024 Olympics bout after her opponent abandoned the contest after 46 seconds having broken down in tears.
Italian boxer Angela Carini entered the ring against Khelif, who had previously been banned from competing having been deemed a ‘biological male’. Carini threw her helmet to the floor as the fight was abandoned, she then refused to shake Khelif’s hand and fell to her knees on the canvas, appearing to wipe away tears.
Carini was punched twice by Khelif in the opening stages of the women’s welterweight fight. The blows appeared to knock the Italian’s chin strap, forcing the fighter to move towards her corner. She then returned to the center of the ring and abandoned the bout, with the Algerian declared the victor.
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It’s unclear whether Carini stopped the fight as a protest against Khelif’s participation or whether the punches she was on the receiving end of proved too hard. The Italian claimed before the fight she could “only adapt to the rules of the Olympics.”
Speaking to Italian media after retiring, Carini said that she had "never felt a punch like it" when hit by Khelif and the "heartbroken" boxer was in Paris to "honor her father and represent her country".
Khelif’s participation in the Olympics has been met with widespread backlash after she was previously disqualified from the Women’s World Boxing Championship last year for failing a gender eligibility test. However, the 25-year-old was allowed to participate in Paris due to the Olympic boxing being under a different governing body.
The Algerian had been disqualified after elevated levels of testosterone failed to meet the eligibility criteria. Chinese Taipei women’s fighter Lin Yu-Ting was also disqualified from the World Championships.
However, the International Boxing Association (IBA), who were the governing body for the World Championships but were stripped of their Olympic recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) amid ongoing governance issues. The IOC subsequently approved both fighters' participation with their regulations less strict than the IBA’s.
Ahead of Khelif’s appearance at Paris, the Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) slammed “baseless claims” against the boxer. “COA strongly condemns the unethical targeting and maligning of our esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif, with baseless propaganda from certain foreign media outlets,” a statement read.
“Such attacks on her personality and dignity are deeply unfair, especially as she prepares for the pinnacle of her career at the Olympics. The COA has taken all necessary measures to protect our champion.”
Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi claimed ahead of Carini’s fight that their fighter wasn’t competing in a fair competition, amid Italy’s Family and Equal Opportunities Minister, Eugenia Roccella, alleging that Khelif and Yu-Ting are transgender.
“I find it difficult to understand that there is no alignment in the parameters of minimum hormonal values at an international level, which includes the European and world championships and the Olympics,” Abodi said.
“In the event that represents the highest values of sport, the safety of female and male athletes must be guaranteed, as well as respect for fair competition. That is not how it will be for Angela Carini.”
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