Angela Carini, a determined Italian Olympic boxer, entered the ring on Thursday to face Imane Khelif in a 66-kilogram woman’s bout. What was expected to be a thrilling match turned into a disgusting spectacle as Carini called off the fight merely 46 seconds in, leaving Khelif celebrating and Carini in tears.
“I wanted this victory at all costs. Just for my father.”
Italian boxer Angela Carini emotionally discusses winning for her late father after securing a spot at the Paris Olympics.
She just forfeited her match against Imane Khelif, who is male. pic.twitter.com/zypHELjldX
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) August 1, 2024
The Olympics is now facing a huge controversy. The IOC was forcing an Italian woman to fight a man, at least according to the International Boxing Association.
Carini’s sudden move left spectators and fans in disbelief. During the brief encounter, she was seen going to her corner twice. The first time was to get her headgear tightened after taking a punch to the face. The second time, unfortunately, was to abandon the fight altogether.
“I went into the ring to fight,” Carini said via Italy’s ASNA. “I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much, and so I said enough. … I’m leaving with my head held high.” Carini’s statement reflects her resilience and the harsh realities athletes face in the ring.
This was the right hand from Imane Khelif that left Angela Carini unable to continue. There was blood on her shorts.
Her coach said: “Many people in Italy tried to call and tell her: ‘Don’t go please, it’s a man, it’s dangerous for you’pic.twitter.com/p01pZQMprx
— Oliver Brown (@oliverbrown_tel) August 1, 2024
Khelif, an Algerian Olympian, was disqualified from the 2023 World Boxing Championships after the International Boxing Association (IBA) determined she failed gender tests.
IBA President Umar Kremlev explained, “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,” he said, according to Russia’s Tass News Agency.
The International Boxing Association has confirmed that the two boxers in question at the Olympics are indeed men. @IBA_Boxing pic.twitter.com/mY7KaFZjxV
— Amy E. Sousa, MA Depth Psychology (@KnownHeretic) July 31, 2024
Despite the disqualification, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) cleared Khelif to compete.
Unsurprisingly, Khelif is a favorite for gold.
