On Thursday, Angela Carini, an Italian boxer competing in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, unexpectedly terminated her bout against Imane Khelif, an Algerian, after just 46 seconds of competition.
After taking two strong blows from Khelif—who was eliminated from the World Championships the previous year due to a failure to pass gender eligibility tests—Carini was clearly upset.
The Italian sobbed and said she had never used such force in a fight before, refusing to shake her opponent’s hand.
Paris 2024: Italian female boxer quits after 46 seconds against controversial opponent
“I got into the ring to fight. But I didn’t feel like it anymore after the first minute. I started to feel a strong pain in my nose. I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much and so I said enough. I’m leaving with my head held high,” Carini said.
Khelif, who was cleared to compete at the Olympics, was declared the winner by the referee. Despite the controversy, she expressed her determination to win a gold medal for Algeria.
The incident has reignited the debate about transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. Carini’s coach revealed that many people had warned her against the fight due to concerns about her safety.
The Italian Boxing Federation and government have expressed concerns about the fairness of the competition, highlighting the lack of clear and consistent international standards for gender eligibility in sports.
