Angela Carini abandoned her controversial bout in the women’s boxing at the 2024 Paris Olympics against Imane Khelif today.
Khelif is an Algerian who was disqualified from last year’s world championships for failing gender-eligibility tests.
The 25-year-old from Naples stopped fighting seconds into the round of 16 women’s welterweight (under 66kg) contest and fell to her knees and wept after Khelif was declared the winner.
Italian government ministers had expressed concern about whether it was safe and fair for Carini to be pitched against Khelif.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) uses a different set of rules for admission to the Paris 2024 tournament than those for the world championships. It has also allowed Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu‑ting to compete after she was also banned from the 2023 world championship.
“I find it difficult to understand there is no alignment in the parameters of minimum hormonal values at an international level, which includes the European and world championships and the Olympics,” Sports Minister Abodi said on Wednesday.
“In the event that represents the highest values of sport, the safety of female and male athletes must be guaranteed, as well as respect for fair competition”.
Rosario Coco, the president of the Gaynet communications association, said there was no evidence that reports Khelif is transgender are true. “In contrast to the reports that have been circulating, the Algerian athlete Imane Khelif is not a trans woman,” said Coco.
“From the information we have about her, she is an intersex person, who has always socialised as a woman and has a sporting history in women’s competitions”.
Knew she was outpowered
Carini took one punch to know she was not going to stand a chance. “I got into the ring to fight,” she said. “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,” she added.
Coach Emanuele Renzini stressed that quitting the match was not planned in advance.
“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.
“I tried to tell her to at least get to the end of the first round so we would fight, but she wouldn’t”.
Meloni says it’s taking ideas to extremes
After Carini abandoned the bout, Premier Giorgia Meloni said this is happens when ideas are taken to extremes.
“I have been trying to explain for years that, when taken to the extreme, some theses risk impacting women’s rights,” Meloni said at Team Italy’s Casa Italia headquarters at the Olympics.
“I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women’s competitions.
“Not because we want to discriminate against anyone, but in order to protect the right of female athletes to be able to compete on equal terms”.
Meloni also said, “I’m all the more sorry,” when told Carini had abandoned the fight.
“I was excited yesterday when she wrote ‘I will fight’ because in these things, dedication, brains and character count,” said the premier.
“But being able to compete on equal terms counts too. And from my point of view, it was not a fair contest”.
