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Angela Carini of Italy in action against Imane Khelif of Algeria. (Social media platform X)
Khelif’s lightning-quick win over the Italian, who decided to pull out after a barrage of punches by the Algerian, piled more pressure on the IOC for allowing them to box in Paris
The Olympic bout between Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Italy’s Angela Carini has sparked global outrage among high-profile figures such as former US President Donald Trump, tech billionaire Elon Musk, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Khelif was declared the winner after Carini surrendered just 46 seconds into the welterweight fight, having taken multiple punches to the face. Hitting out at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after Carini’s Round of 16 fight in Paris, the Italian PM said, “It is a fact that, with the levels of testosterone present in the blood of the Algerian athlete, the competition at the start does not seem fair.”
Meloni Hits Out At IOC
“We must be careful not to discriminate in an attempt to avoid discrimination.” “The fact that Angela withdrew makes me even more sad,” she continued. In a social media post, the Republican presidential nominee and his running mate JD Vance echoed similar sentiments. The IOC defended its decision to allow two female boxers to compete at the Paris Olympics despite a gender row, saying the pair were facing “aggression” because of an arbitrary decision.
This is where Kamala Harris’s ideas about gender lead: to a grown man pummeling a woman in a boxing match. This is disgusting, and all of our leaders should condemn it. https://t.co/hUdx7rStzo— JD Vance (@JDVance) August 1, 2024
IOC Defence
“These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA,” the IOC said in a statement. “Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process. “According to the IBA minutes available on their website, this decision was initially taken solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO.”
The IOC said the IBA decision to disqualify the boxers last year was arbitrary and the main cause for the furore that has seen people like British author J. K. Rowling and Elon Musk voice their opposition to them competing in the Games. Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer and advocate for women’s single-sex spaces, voiced her support for Carini on X, saying, “Men don’t belong in women’s sports #IStandWithAngelaCarini.”
Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better? The smirk of a male who’s knows he’s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head, and whose life’s ambition he’s just shattered. #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/Q5SbKiksXQ— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 1, 2024
‘This is unjust’
Carini, 25, expressed her frustration after the match, saying, “This is unjust.” Her coach, Emanuele Renzini, revealed that many had warned Carini against fighting Khelif, who had been disqualified from the 2023 World Championships due to gender eligibility issues. “Many people in Italy tried to call and tell her: ‘Don’t go please: it’s a man, it’s dangerous for you,’” Renzini told reporters.
After the match, Carini, visibly upset, said, “I’ve never taken a punch like that. 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.” Gaines shared a photo of Carini on her knees in the ring, calling the moment “heartbreaking.”
Logan Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer, criticised the match, labeling it “the purest form of evil.” He stated, “A man was allowed to beat up a woman on a global stage, crushing her life’s dream while fighting for her deceased father. This delusion must end.”
Earlier this week, the IOC reaffirmed its eligibility framework, insisting that all athletes in the women’s category comply with the rules. Khelif had been disqualified from the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships last year due to elevated testosterone levels, with the IBA president noting her XY chromosomes. However, Khelif was cleared to compete in Paris under IOC guidelines. The IOC’s updated policy on fairness and inclusion, established in 2021, allows each sport’s governing body to determine if an athlete has a disproportionate advantage.
(With agency inputs)
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