Olympics 2024 gender controversy: Italian female boxer Angela Carini reveals why she quit against Algerian pugilist Imane Khelif

Italian female boxer Angela Carini has spoken for the first time after her opponent and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif's 46-second win in a 66-kilogram fight at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday.

Carini revealed that she didn't give up but a punch hurt her badly. Subsequently, she decided to leave with her "head held high".

25-year-old Italian boxer retired hurt and shrugged off attempts by Khelif to shake her hand, before collapsing to her knees and sobbing uncontrollably in the middle of the ring.


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The outcome of the bout sparked a furious row about gender eligibility rules, with public figures from around the world weighing in on the controversy.

Earlier in World Boxing Championships 2023, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was disqualified as International Boxing Association revealed Khelif had failed gender tests, as per reports.

Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, who fights on Friday at 57kg, were disqualified from the 2023 world championships in New Delhi run by the International Boxing Association (IBA) but deemed eligible to box in the women's competition in Paris.

Both boxers also competed at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.

The IBA, in a statement on Wednesday, said Lin and Khelif were disqualified from the world championships as "a result of their failure to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women's competition".

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"The athletes did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognised test, whereby the specifics remain confidential," it added.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met Angela Carini in Paris on Thursday and told the boxer to keep going in the sport after the welterweight abruptly quit her Olympic bout in a one-sided contest that sparked a gender row.

Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee on Thursday defended its decision to allow two female boxers to compete at the Paris Olympics despite an ongoing gender row, saying the pair were facing 'aggression' because of an arbitrary decision.

FAQs:

Q1. What is the name of Italian boxer?
A1. Italian boxer's name is Angela Carini.

Q2. What is IBA full form?
A2. IBA's full form is International Boxing Association.