Italian female boxer quits Olympic bout, igniting gender fairness debate

At the Paris Olympics on 1 August, Italian boxer Angela Carini broke down in tears after she abandoned her bout against the Algerian Imane Khelif after 46 seconds in a fight that sparked huge controversy at the Olympics.

She withdrew after receiving a powerful punch from Khelif.

Carini, struck squarely in the face, paused momentarily before turning her back and walking to her corner.

Her coaches quickly indicated that she would not continue, leading the referee to stop the fight.

Khelif, 25, was allowed to compete in the Olympics despite being disqualified from the 2023 world championships over eligibility concerns related to competing in women’s sports.

Similarly, Lin Yu-ting, another athlete barred from the world championships under comparable circumstances, has also been cleared to compete in Paris.

The International Boxing Association, which oversaw the championships and imposed the disqualifications, in a 31 July statement clarified that both athletes were disqualified for not undergoing a testosterone examination, instead being subjected to a different, recognized test.

The association described this test as confidential and said it "conclusively indicated that both athletes did not meet the necessary eligibility criteria and had competitive advantages over other female competitors."

The inclusion of the two boxers with eligibility concerns in the women’s Olympic competition has recently ignited a heated debate over gender and fair play in sports.

The International Olympic Committee defends its decision to allow Khelif to compete in Olympic 

In a statement released on Thursday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) defended its decision to allow Lin and Khelif to compete, asserting that the athletes were facing "aggression" due to an arbitrary decision.

"The IOC is saddened by the abuse directed at these athletes," the IOC said. "Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination."

IOC stressed that both Lin and Khelif had been competing in international boxing for years and had participated in previous major events, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

IOC affirmed that all athletes competing in the boxing tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics comply with eligibility, entry, and medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU).

It noted that, as with previous Olympic Games, athletes' gender and age are based on their passports.

The IOC explained that the regulations for Paris 2024 were developed using the Tokyo 2020 boxing rules as a baseline to ensure consistency and minimize disruption to athletes’ preparations.

These rules were based on the post-Rio 2016 regulations, which were in effect before the suspension of the boxing International Federation by the IOC in 2019 and its subsequent withdrawal of recognition in 2023.

The IOC criticized the International Boxing Association (IBA) for its “sudden and arbitrary decision” that led to the disqualification of Lin and Khelif.

"Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were disqualified without due process," the IOC stated.

"According to the IBA minutes available on their website, this decision was initially taken solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO."

"The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure – especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years."

Carini: "I quit to save my life"

After announcing her defeat, Carini refused to shake Khelif’s hand, then collapsed to her knees in the ring and began to cry.

“I am heartbroken,” she told reporters. “I went to the ring to honour my father. I was often called a warrior, but I chose to quit to save my life. I have never felt a punch like this.”

She added, “I entered the ring to fight. I didn’t give up. But one punch hurt too much, so I said, ‘Enough.’ I’m leaving with my head held high.”






Reem Alsalem, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, expressed her concern about what had happened.

“Angela Carini rightly followed her instincts and prioritised her physical safety, but she and other female athletes should not have been exposed to this physical and psychological violence based on their sex,” she tweeted.

Algerian Olympic Committee condemns 'unethical targeting' of Khelif

Agence France-Presse reported that Khelif alleged she was the victim of a “big conspiracy” following her disqualification just before the final at last year’s world championships.

On Wednesday, the Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) issued a statement strongly condemning the “unethical targeting and maligning” of Khelif.

The COA criticized “baseless propaganda” from certain foreign media outlets and asserted that such attacks on Khelif’s personality and dignity are profoundly unjust, especially as she prepares for the Olympics.

The COA also stated that it has taken all necessary measures to protect its champion.

Imane Khelif's Next Opponent Speaks Out

Anna Luca Hamori, a Hungarian boxer and Khelif's upcoming opponent has spoken out about her upcoming bout.

In an interview, Hamori stated that she is "not scared" to face Khelif, regardless of the controversy surrounding the match.

“I’m not scared,” Hamori said. I don’t care about the press story and social media. If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win.”

Khelif is set to take on Hamori in the next round on Saturday.