In a decisive and swift victory, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif secured a win over Italy’s Angela Carini just 46 seconds into the women’s welterweight Round of 16 at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Thursday. Khelif delivered a powerful left-hand punch early in the bout, followed by a series of jabs that left Carini visibly distressed.
Carini, clutching her nose in pain, initially paused the fight 35 seconds in to adjust her headgear with her coach. Though she briefly resumed, she soon returned to her corner and opted to withdraw from the match. As the referee declared Khelif the winner, Carini, overwhelmed with emotion, fell to her knees and was seen in tears.
Reflecting on her decision to abandon the bout, Carini said, “I have always honoured my country with loyalty. This time I didn’t succeed because I couldn’t fight anymore. I put an end to the match because after the second blow, after years of experience in the ring and a life of fighting, I felt a strong pain in my nose. I said ‘that’s enough’ because … I could not bring the match to an end. So I thought, maybe it’s better to put an end to the match.”
The 25-year-old Khelif, who has been in the spotlight following her disqualification before a gold medal match at the 2023 World Championships for failing to meet International Boxing Association (IBA) eligibility rules, was cleared by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to compete in Paris. These rules restrict athletes with XY chromosomes from participating in women’s events.
Some sports allow athletes with limited levels of testosterone to compete in women's competitions, while others ban everyone who has gone through male puberty.
Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, who is a double world champion, also lost her bronze medal at the world championships last year after failing to meet the criteria. Lin will come up against Uzbekistan's Sitora Turdibekova in a featherweight bout in Paris on Friday.
The controversy surrounding Khelif’s participation has ignited a debate on social media, with several high-profile figures questioning the IOC's decision. Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss expressed her concerns on X, writing, “When will this madness stop? Men cannot become women. Why is the British Government not objecting to this?”
Author JK Rowling, who had previously criticized the inclusion of Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting in the competition, reiterated her stance, stating, “What will it take to end this insanity? A female boxer left with life-altering injuries? A female boxer killed?”
One user highlighted the impact of the fight on Carini, posting, “Today, Angela Carini had her Olympics dreams shattered by Imane Khelif, a male boxer. It is suspected that he BROKE HER NOSE. Don’t let this pass quietly. MEN SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BEAT WOMEN FOR SPORT. SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS.”
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