Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who failed a gender eligibility test last year, assaulted her Italian opponent in 46 seconds at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, provoking a furious reaction from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
A distraught and hurt Angela Carini ignored the Algerian’s attempts to shake her hand and fell to her knees and sobbed before bursting into tears again in front of dozens of reporters.
Khelif advanced to the quarterfinals of the women’s under-66kg category after landing two hard punches on Carini, who had blood on his shorts and was unable to continue because of a nose injury.
“I have a lot of pain in my nose and I said, ‘Stop’. It’s better to avoid continuing. My nose started dripping (blood) from the first blow.”
The 25-year-old added: “I fought a lot for the national team. I train with my brother. I’ve always fought against men, but today I felt a lot of pain.”
Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who fights on Friday at 57kg, were disqualified from the world championships last year but deemed eligible to box in the women’s competition in Paris.
The IOC website for accredited media in Paris said 25-year-old Khelif was disqualified after “elevated testosterone levels did not meet eligibility criteria”.
Both boxed in the women’s event at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
As the controversy threatened to overshadow the sixth day of the Games, Meloni denounced a fight that was “not on an equal footing”.
“I don’t agree with the IOC,” she said.
“I think that athletes with male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to female competitions,” she said during a meeting with Italian athletes in Paris, according to a video posted on X.
Khelif, who came fifth in Tokyo, received a loud cheer when he entered the North Paris Arena, where there were several Algerian fans waving the country’s flag.
Before and during the brief fight, they shouted her name, but the action itself was over in the blink of an eye.
Explaining why he fell to his knees and cried so much, Carini said: “It’s for my father. I regret not taking Italy to the podium.”
“I will leave with my head held high,” she added.
– ‘Lies’ –
Earlier Thursday, the Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) condemned what it called “malicious and unethical attacks directed against our illustrious athlete, Imane Khelif, by some foreign media outlets.”
The COA attacked “lies” that were “completely unfair.”
Khelif and Lin were disqualified from the 2023 world championships in New Delhi, run by the International Boxing Association (IBA).
Lin was stripped of his bronze medal after undergoing “biochemical” tests required by the IBA.
However, the International Olympic Committee is running boxing in the French capital because of governance, financial and ethical issues at the IBA.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters this week: “Everyone competing in the women’s category… is complying with the competition eligibility rules.
“They are women on their passports and it says they are women.”
At least one boxer at the Games spoke out about the controversy.
Australian Caitlin Parker is in the under-75kg category, so she won’t face Khelif or Lin, but she made her position on the controversy clear.
“I don’t agree that this should be allowed, especially in combat sports, as it can be incredibly dangerous,” she said.
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