A gender controversy has erupted at the Paris Olympics as an Italian female boxer who fought a woman who had previously failed gender tests abandoned the match after 46 seconds, complaining about the strength of her opponent.
Italian Angela Carini sensationally abandoned the fight in less than a minute , with an Italian coach later telling media that Carini told him “she felt pain in the nose and said to me I don’t want to fight more”.
Angela Carini lost to Imane Khelif.Credit: Eddie Jim
Her opponent, Algerian Imane Khelif, was previously disqualified from the World Championship last year after a test that showed she failed to meet the required eligibility criteria and was found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors.
The International Olympic Committee disregarded the International Boxing Association’s advice and allowed Khelif, and another female boxer from Chinese Taipei previously disqualified for failing gender eligibility tests, to compete in Paris.
A distressed Carini was in tears after the fight and talking to the media, struggling to contain her emotions reliving a fight that she saw as an opportunity to honour her late father.
One of the Italian coaches, when asked about Carini’s motives for abandoning the match, speculated that “people say don’t go, it’s dangerous, she’s a man. Maybe it’s this.”
Khelif will square off against Australian Marissa Williamson in the next round if the Aussie wins on Thursday afternoon.
More to come
