Paris 2024 Olympics - Boxing - Women's 66kg - Prelims - Round of 16 - August 1, 2024
Angela Carini, the Italian boxer who withdrew from her bout against Imane Khelif, expressed regret for her actions and sympathy for her Algerian opponent. The match has sparked a significant debate regarding gender eligibility at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"I felt sorry for my opponent," Carini told Gazzetta dello Sport. "All the controversy made me sad and it's nothing to do with her. She was here like me to fight."
Carini had initially ignored Khelif's attempt to shake hands after their one-sided bout at 66kg but later apologized. "It wasn't on purpose, and I apologize to her and everyone. I was angry because my Olympics had just gone up in smoke but I have nothing against Imane Khelif. On the contrary, if I saw her again, I'd give her a hug."
Khelif will face Hungarian boxer Anna Luca Hamori in the women's welterweight quarter-finals on Saturday. While Hamori initially adopted a conciliatory stance, she later voiced her opinion on Facebook, stating, "In my humble opinion, I don't think it's fair that this contestant can compete in the women's category."
Tunisian coach Samir Khlifi, after his boxer Khouloud Hlimi lost in a bout in Lin Yu-Ting's class, criticized the IBA's previous disqualification of Khelif as "political." He remarked, "I've known that boxer for a long time. I knew her when she was a girl and now there is a question mark. The International Olympic Committee did her justice and allowed her to participate."
Taiwan's Lin Yu-Ting, another boxer at the center of the gender controversy, advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Sitora Turdibekova of Uzbekistan in the women's 57kg class. Lin and Khelif both competed without issue at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics but were disqualified from the 2023 world championships in New Delhi for not meeting "eligibility criteria."
The IOC's decision to permit their participation in Paris has ignited intense debate. The IOC bases eligibility on the gender indicated on athletes' passports but acknowledges the complexity of the issue.
The controversy has extended beyond the ring, with notable figures weighing in. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the bout as "not on an equal footing," while US presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance condemned the participation of athletes with DSD in women's sports. Author JK Rowling also commented, stating the Paris Olympics would be "forever tarnished by the brutal injustice done to Carini."
In contrast, Irish ex-world champion Amy Broadhurst defended Khelif, urging people to "stop the bullying." Broadhurst wrote, "Personally I don't think she [Khelif] has done anything to 'cheat.' I think it's the way she was born and that's out of her control."
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