Italian boxer Angela Carini broke down in tears after abandoning her bout against Algerian Imane Khelif just 46 seconds into the fight, sparking significant controversy at the Olympics.
Khelif is one of two boxers allowed to compete at the Olympics despite being disqualified from last year’s women’s world championships for failing testosterone and gender eligibility tests.
In the highly charged atmosphere at the North Paris Arena, Carini revealed that she pulled out after being hit harder than ever before. A first punch dislodged her chinstrap, and a second punch struck her chin, causing her nose to bleed.
“I am heartbroken,” said Carini. “I went to the ring to honor my father. I was told many times that I was a warrior, but I preferred to stop for my health. I have never felt a punch like this.”
The 25-year-old from Naples added, “I got into the ring to fight. I didn’t give up, but one punch hurt too much, so I said enough. I’m going out with my head held high. After the second punch, I felt a strong pain in my nose. I said enough because I couldn’t finish the fight after the punch to the nose. It was better to end it.”
“I am in pieces because I am a fighter, taught to be a warrior. I have always tried to behave with honor and represent my country with loyalty. This time I couldn’t because I couldn’t fight anymore. Regardless of the person I had in front of me, I just wanted to win and face my opponent.”
When asked if it would have been better to pull out beforehand, Carini said, “I am not one to give in easily. Even if they had said we wouldn’t fight, I would never have accepted it. I have a warrior’s mentality. This time I didn’t manage. The pain in my nose was too much, so I said enough. It’s not a defeat for me. If you go in the ring, you have already won, regardless of everything else. I’m not here to judge if it’s fair or not. I just did my job and left with my head held high. I’m a mature woman; when I feel I cannot continue, it’s not giving in, it’s having the dignity to say enough. I was convinced I would win, but the punches to my nose hurt too much.”
Carini said it was “not up to me to judge” whether Khelif should have been barred from the women’s competition. “I did my job.”
Khelif briefly spoke to the BBC, saying, “I am here for gold. I will fight anybody, I will fight them all.”
Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, expressed concern, tweeting, “Angela Carini rightly followed her instincts and prioritized her physical safety, but she and other female athletes should not have been exposed to this physical and psychological violence based on their sex.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni weighed in, stating, “I think that athletes with male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women’s competitions. This is not about discrimination but protecting the right of female athletes to compete on equal terms.”
The controversy arises amidst criticism of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for allowing both Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei to compete in the women’s category. Lin is set to face Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova in a featherweight bout in Paris on Friday.
Both fighters were disqualified from the 2023 women’s world championships, with International Amateur Boxing president Umar Kremlev stating that DNA tests had “proved they had XY chromosomes and were thus excluded.” XY is the male chromosome, while XX is the female one.
On Wednesday evening, the IBA said Khelif had initially appealed their decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but withdrew the appeal, making the IBA decision legally binding. Yu-ting did not challenge the ruling.
The IBA also criticized the IOC for its less stringent rules for the Paris Olympics, raising questions about competitive fairness and athlete safety. The IOC stated that both Khelif and Lin “are women according to their passports” and that all competitors have passed the eligibility rules, though it has not confirmed what those rules are.
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams addressed the controversy, saying, “All the competitors comply with the eligibility rules. This involves real people, and this is not a transgender issue.”
Concerns have been raised in the boxing and wider sporting community. Australia’s boxing captain Caitlin Parker expressed fears about a teammate competing in the same 66kg weight category as Khelif, stating, “I don’t agree with them being allowed to compete in sport, especially combat sports. It can be incredibly dangerous.”
Agence France-Presse reported that Khelif claimed to be the victim of a “big conspiracy” after being disqualified just before the final at last year’s world championships.
The Algerian Olympic Committee condemned the “unethical targeting” of Khelif, calling the media reports baseless propaganda and emphasizing the importance of protecting their athlete as she prepares for the Olympics.