Paris: The ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 found itself into another controversy on Thursday when Italian boxer Angela Carini quit in just 46 seconds following two powerful punches from her Algerian opponent Imane Khelif, who has been deemed ‘biologically male’. The incident took place during the women’s 66kg bout in the round of 16. Soon after the match started, the two exchanged a few punches before the Italian called it quits. Carini’s helmet too got dislodged atleast once before she abandoned the bout.
Following the bout, Carini didn’t shake hands with Khelif and fall on the canvas sobbing and yelled “This is unjust”. The referee raised Khelif’s hand and declared the Algerian winner. Carini didn’t even shook hands with the match official and walked off.
Notably, Khelif was disqualified from the world championships last year after falling testosterone tests. The Algerian boxer was also banned from major a boxing before the Paris Olympics 2024. According to a Mail Online report, the fight took place after a DNA test on Khelif which revealed the presence of XY chromosomes in the Algerian’s body, typical in male sex.
After the bout, a heartbroken Carini said, “I’m used to suffering. I’ve never taken a punch like that, it’s impossible to continue. I’m nobody to say it’s illegal. 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,” she added.
The Olympics allowed a biological man, Imane Khelif, to fight as a woman despite his XY chromosomes. The end result?
“I have never been hit so hard in my life.”
Italian Olympian Angela Carini lasted 46 seconds before quitting due to how painful it was. It’s just shameful that… pic.twitter.com/OWhKggM7qe
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 1, 2024
Asked if she walked from the fight as a protest, Carini refused. “I entered the ring and I told myself I have to take out all of myself independently from the person I had in front of me. I am a fighter. My father taught me to be a warrior. When I am in the ring, I use that mindset, the mindset of a warrior, a winning mindset. This time I couldn’t make it,” she said.
Meanwhile, Carini was taken away for medical treatment to check the seriousness of her facial injuries that included a bruised nose. “You all saw my nose that started bleeding. I didn’t lose tonight, I just surrendered with maturity,” she said.
Meanwhile, Khelif will next face Luca Hamori of Hungary in the quarterfinals.
