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0 A highly controversial Paris 2024 Olympic Games boxing match ended abruptly on Thursday when Italian Angela Carini abandoned her bout against Algerian Imane Khelif after just 46 seconds.
Carini was visibly distraught after suffering two powerful punches from Khelif, who was disqualified from last year’s World Championships for failing gender eligibility tests.
The Italian refused to shake her opponent’s hand and broke down in tears, stating she had never experienced such force in a fight before.
“I got into the ring to fight. But I didn’t feel like it anymore after the first minute. 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,” Carini said.
Khelif, who was cleared to compete at the Olympics, was declared the winner by the referee. Despite the controversy, she expressed her determination to win a gold medal for Algeria.
The incident has reignited the debate about transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. Carini’s coach revealed that many people had warned her against the fight due to concerns about her safety.
The Italian Boxing Federation and government have expressed concerns about the fairness of the competition, highlighting the lack of clear and consistent international standards for gender eligibility in sports.
The post Italian female boxer quits after 46 seconds against ‘biologically male’ opponent first appeared on 3News.
