There has been uproar at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, August 1, after Italian boxer Angelina Carini quit after just 46 seconds into the 16th round of their welterweight round-off against Algeria’s Imani Khalif.
Khalif, who failed the gender eligibility test at the 2023 World Championships, forced Karini to leave the ring.
Carini returned to the ring after a 30-second discussion with her coach and refused to continue the fight against Khalif.
Carini revealed that Khalif’s punches were harder and harder than any punches he had thrown in his entire career.
A punch from Khalif in the early stages of the bout also dislodged his chinstrap, leaving his shorts covered in blood. Finally, Carini was seen sitting in the center of the ring crying after announcing her withdrawal from the competition.
The Italian boxer explained that his decision was due to an apparent nose injury, but the incident has since been the subject of mixed reactions across social media.
In a statement afterwards, Carini said, ‘For me, it’s not a defeat, when you climb those ropes you’re already a warrior, you’re already a winner’.
The loss ended Carini’s Olympic dream.
Algerian boxer Khalif, who won a silver medal at the 2022 world championships, was disqualified hours before the gold medal bout in New Delhi last year because of high testosterone levels, according to the International Boxing Association. Association (IBA) did not meet the gender eligibility criteria.
However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided against the IBA’s decision and gave Khalif the green light to participate in the Games.
The contest has been a topic of discussion on social media among celebrities and fans alike. On the one hand, Italy’s Family Minister Eugenia Roccella and Sports Minister Andrea Abodi have questioned the IOC’s eligibility criteria. On the other hand, even Elon Musk termed Khalif’s presence at the Games as ‘unfair’, highlighting his past records.
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2024-08-01 18:51:36
