Elon Musk weighs in on Imane Khelif Olympic boxing controversy with one word after fighter failed gender test

Elon Musk simply tweeted a one-word reaction to the contentious victory of an Algerian boxer at the Paris Olympics. Imane Khelif's win over Italy's Angela Carini in the 66-kilogram category sparked heated debates across social media platforms , with Musk joining the fray.

The bout between Khelif and Carini was abruptly halted after just 46 seconds when Carini retreated to her corner following a powerful punch from Khelif that knocked her chinstrap loose and left her shorts stained with blood.

After the fight, a visibly upset Carini declined to acknowledge Khelif's victory with a handshake , despite the Algerian being named the winner.

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Angela Carini's coach, Emanuele Renzini, conceded that forfeiting the match wasn't considered before the fight, despite pressure from all over Italy urging Carini not to participate. He expressed concerns about the fairness of the match, stating: "It would have been easier not to show up, because all of Italy had been asking her not to fight for days. But Angela was motivated and wanted to do it."

"Of course, when she met her opponent at the draw, she said 'It's not fair.' But there was no premeditation here today. She quit after taking one punch, she told me she didn't feel she could fight."

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The social media sphere has been ablaze with conversation throughout the day, with some mistakenly asserting that Khelif is male after she failed a qualifying gender test in 2023.

University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines posted on platform X, where she stated: "Men don't belong in women's sports #IStandWithAngelaCarini Let's get it trending" - and included a fire emoji to boot.

Elon Musk joined the fray, succinctly echoing Gaines' sentiment with a one-word reply: "Absolutely".

However, there is no evident Khelif was born biologically male.

2023 has seen its share of controversy for athlete Khelif after a failed gender eligibility test leading up to the 2023 World Championships governed by the International Boxing Association (IBA).

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Umar Kremlev, president of the IBA, delved into the specifics, revealing that Khelif was one of several athletes who were found out due to DNA testing. "Based on DNA tests, we identified several 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."

In the face of these assertions, both Khelif and the Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) have staunchly refuted the allegations. In contrast, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have given Khelif the green light to participate in this summer's Games.

Mark Adams, an IOC spokesperson, reaffirmed the legitimacy of competitors in the women's category, emphasising: "Everyone competing in the women's category is complying with the competition eligibility rules," asserting that "They are women in their passports and it's stated that this is the case, that they are female."