Paris 2024 Olympics: Italian boxer Angela Carini, who lost to Imane Khelif, makes her position clear amid the gender dispute

Angela Carini, the Italian boxer who lost to Imane Khelif of Algeria in just 46 seconds at the 2024 Paris Olympics, told Italian media on Friday that she felt sorry for her and even apologized for not shaking her hand amid the controversy of gender. Khelif, who was disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA) in 2023 for failing to meet “eligibility criteria”, was called a ‘biological male’ by social media users and his victory sparked huge controversy. Carini broke down after her loss to Khelif in a highly emotional interview, but said on Friday that she was angry because of her defeat and not because of her opponent.

“The whole controversy made me sad and I feel sorry for my opponent too. It has nothing to do with her. She was here like me to fight,” Carini told Gazzetta dello Sport.

Carini ignored Khelif’s attempt to shake her hand at the end of the one-sided 66kg bout, but told the publication: “It wasn’t on purpose and I apologize to her and everyone.

“I was angry because my Olympics just went up in smoke, but I have nothing against Imane Khelif. On the contrary, if I saw her again, I would give her a hug.”

Hungarian boxer Anna Luca Hamori faces Khelif on Saturday and, initially striking a conciliatory tone, wrote in a Facebook post on Friday: “In my humble opinion, I don’t think it’s fair that this competitor can compete in the women’s category.”

But Tunisian coach Samir Khlifi, speaking after his boxer Khouloud Hlimi lost in a fight in Lin’s class, called the IBA’s decision to disqualify Khelif last year “political.”

“I’ve known this boxer for a long time,” he said of the Algerian. “I met her when she was a girl and now there is a question mark.

“The International Olympic Committee did justice and allowed her to participate.”

(With AFP inputs)