Italian boxer suffers suspected broken nose by opponent who failed sex test; Olympics bout abandoned in just 46 seconds
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New Delhi, Aug. 1 -- Angela Carini was in teas after the Italian boxer abandoned her bout against Algerian Imane Khelif at the Paris Olympics on Thursday. Khelif, the Algerian boxer, recorded a controversial win in the round of 16 Olympic boxing bout as Carini opted to walk out after just 46 seconds into the campaign opener. For the unversed, Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 world championship over failing an unspecified gender eligibility test. The boxer's arrival at the Paris Games has sparked a major debate in the boxing spectrum.In what could be one of the most shocking moments at the Summer Games 2024, Italian boxer Carini burst into tears as she walked out of the bout inside the first minute of the controversial encounter. Reduced to tears, the Italian boxer took a couple of punches from Khelif, who failed a gender eligibility test last year. Carini's headgear was dislodged at least once before she abandoned the bout in Paris. The Italian boxer also refused to shake hands with Khelif after the referee announced the verdict of the bout.
She collapsed to her knees and sobbed uncontrollably in the ring.Italy's Carini suffered a suspected broken nose in the women's 66kg round of 16 bout at the Paris Olympics. A tearful Carini later revealed that she quit the fight after feeling an intense pain in her nose following the opening punches. Carini also had a spot of blood on her trunks. "I felt a severe pain in my nose, and with the maturity of a boxer, I said 'enough,' because I didn't want to, I didn't want to, I couldn't finish the match," Carini said.Khelif claimed a silver medal at the International Boxing Association's 2022 World Championships. However, the same governing body disqualified her from last year's championships in the lead-up to the boxer's gold-medal match. "I am not here to judge or pass judgment. If an athlete is this way, and in that sense it's not right or it is right, it's not up to me to decide. I just did my job as a boxer. I got into the ring and fought. I did it with my head held high and with a broken heart for not having finished the last kilometer," Carini added.Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni claimed the fight was "not on an equal footing". "I do not agree with the IOC," Meloni said during a meeting with Italian athletes at the Games. "I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women's competitions," she added.
Earlier, the Algerian Olympic Committee issued a statement criticising the "lies, unethical targeting and maligning" of esteemed athlete - Khelif.Women's boxers have shared their views about the arrival of Khelif and Lin at the Paris Games for the boxing tournament. "I don't agree with that being allowed, especially in combat sports as it can be incredibly dangerous," Australia's Caitlin Parker said."Biologically and genetically, they are going to have more advantages. Combat sports can be dangerous. Fairness is what it's all about. We all want fairness in sport," she added. "If you're talking about fighting an actual man, then no, I'm not cool with fighting a man. But in their case, I can't say specifically on them because I don't know their scenario or situation," Australian boxer Tiana Echegaray added.The International Olympic Committee extended its support to Khelif and Lin Yu in the women's competition at the Paris Games after the boxers failed gender eligibility tests last year. "Everyone competing in the women's category is complying with the eligibility criteria," IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters. "They are women in their passports and it's stated that is the case, and they are female. These athletes have competed many times before for many years. They haven't just suddenly arrived," he added. Lin Yu will have her first bout under the 57kg division on Saturday.
