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Was Olympic boxer Angela Carini right to quit against Imane Khelif, a fighter who failed a gender test?
By Anna Akopyan •
Updated: 03 Aug 2024 • 11:54 • 3 minutes read
Italian boxer Angela Carini quit her Olympic battle against the Algerian Imane Khelif, a fighter who previously failed a gender test; I have never been hit so hard in my life.
Carini quits against Khelif
The 25-year-old Italian boxer, Carini lasted 46 seconds in a rink with Khelif, after receiving her opponent´s forceful opening punch. I have never been hit so hard in my life, confessed Carini. After the second punch, after years of experience, I felt a strong pain in the nose. I said enough because I couldn´t finish the fight. So it was better to put an end to it.
Angela Carini was seen breaking down in tears after losing her chance at an Olympic medal. She revealed that she had a nosebleed afterwards. My face and nose were hurting. I couldn´t breathe anymore. I thought about my family, I looked at my brother in the stands and I went to my corner to retire. I´ve never been hit with such a powerful punch.
The fighter dreamt about winning the Olympic medal to honour her late father and coach, who died shortly after Carini participated in the Tokyo Games in 2021. Winner of silver medals at both the world and European championships in 2019, Carini was also a gold medallist at the European youth championships. She commented; My brother and my father taught me boxing. I owe everything to them.
Carini refuses to shake Khelif´s hand
After the referee raised Khelif´s hand in victory, Carini refused to shake it. Her gesture, in turn, unintentionally provoked a global debate about gender eligibility in sports competitions.
Imane Khelif was disqualified from last year´s world championship after failing a gender eligibility test; the Algerian boxer is one of the two athletes permitted to participate in the Olympics despite being disqualified from the women´s world championship.
Carini commented about her cease of the fight; I managed to leave with my head held high. I´m a mature woman; when I feel I cannot continue, it´s having the dignity to say enough. When questioned about her refusal to shake Khelif´s hand, she said; I want to apologize to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke. I don´t have anything against Khelif. Actually, if I were to meet her again I would embrace her.
Khelif, on her side, said only; I am here for gold. I will fight anybody, I will fight them all.
Khelif enters the Olympics despite gender test fail
In today´s Olympics, both Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan are competing in the women´s boxing category. This is despite the International Boxing Association president Umar Kremlev´s previous statement that their DNA tests had proved they had XY chromosomes and were thus excluded.
XY chromosomes are the combination present in men while XX is the combination in women. The International Olympic Committee denied the relevance of these tests; As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams commented; They´ve been competing in boxing for a very long time. They´ve achieved all the eligibility requirements in terms of sex and age.
He added about gender tests; What I would say is the testosterone test is not a perfect test. Many women can have testosterone, even what would be called ´male levels´ and still be women and still compete as women.
Public reactions at the Olympic battle between Khelif and Carini
The incident prompted divided responses from athletes and authorities. The Olympic 2021 Irish Gold Medalist Kellie Harrington announced that she will refuse to compete against any boxers who are biological males at this Olympics. A female athlete Marshi Smith similarly expressed concern to the Press; to see a woman violently punched in the head by a man for Olympic sport, to cheering crowds, I cannot understate how despicable that is.
The UN special rapporteur on violence against women Reem Alsalem wrote on X; Angela Carini rightly followed her instincts and prioritised her physical safety, but she and other female athletes should not have been exposed to this physical and psychological violence based on their sex.
Even the Italian PM, Giorgia Meloni took her frustration to X; I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women´s competitions from my point of view it was not an even contest.
In a competition that promotes solidarity and fair play, how far do the Olympic Games stay consistent with their values?
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From Moscow to Costa Blanca, Anna has spent over 10 years in Spain and one year in Berlin, where she worked as an actress and singer. Covering European news, Anna´s biggest passions are writing and travelling.
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