Reaction poured in on Thursday after Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who was deemed to have male chromosomes in 2023, defeated an Italian fighter at the Olympics.
Famed "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling and several others weighed in after an Olympic boxer deemed to have male chromosomes won a fight in Paris in 46 seconds on Thursday.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif defeated Italy’s Angela Carini after Carini abandoned the match. Carini later explained she was hit hard and couldn’t compete anymore.
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But controversy swirled on social media as Khelif has been in the midst of a firestorm over gender eligibility questions stemming from a disqualification in 2023. Users on X ripped the decision to allow Khelif to compete.
Khelif was disqualified during the 2023 World Championships, sanctioned by the International Boxing Association. The organization said Khelif, and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting failed to meet gender eligibility standards.
IBA president Umar Kremlev explained the decision at the time, according to Russia’s Tass News Agency. Reuters reported at the time that Khelif tested positive for having high levels of testosterone.
ITALIAN BOXER BREAKS SILENCE AFTER ABANDONING OLYMPIC BOUT AGAINST FIGHTER IN GENDER CONTROVERSY
"Based on DNA tests, we identified a number of athletes who tried to trick their colleagues into posing as women. According to the results of the tests, it was proved that they have XY chromosomes. Such athletes were excluded from competition," Kremlev said.
Khelif and the Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) both denied the claims. The International Olympic Committee also cleared Khelif to compete in the Games.
After the fight, Carini, was heard yelling to hear coaches in Italian questioning the fairness of the bout. She then broke her silence about why she abandoned the match.
"I got into the ring to fight," she said, via Italy’s ANSA. "I didn't give up, but one punch hurt too much, and so I said enough.
"I'm going out with my head held high."
Carini’s coach, Emanuele Renzini, said quitting the match wasn’t a part of the plan ahead of time.
"It would have been easier not to show up, because all of Italy had been asking her not to fight for days," Renzini said. "But Angela was motivated and wanted to do it.
"Of course, when she met her opponent at the draw, she said, 'It's not fair.’ But there was no premeditation here today. She quit after taking one punch, she told me she didn't feel she could fight."
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