“This is unjust,” declared Italy’s Angela Carini following a controversial defeat to Imane Khelif of Algeria, a biological male competitor. Khelif, who had been barred from competing in the 2023 world championship women’s events after failing a gender eligibility test, secured victory in his first bout when Carini quit after just 46 seconds. Carini, who broke down in tears after being punched twice in the face, expressed her frustration and disappointment.
“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. “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.”
Following her controversial defeat, Angela Carini’s protests garnered significant attention and sparked a broader debate about gender eligibility in sports. The incident prompted various sports organizations to review their policies on gender eligibility to ensure fair competition.
After the bout, Carini received an outpouring of support from fellow athletes, sports commentators, and the public, who echoed her sentiments about the perceived injustice. This support led to increased pressure on the governing bodies of boxing to address and clarify their stance on the participation of transgender athletes.
British author J.K. Rowling, who wrote the Harry Potter novels chimed in:
Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better? The smirk of a male who’s knows he’s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head, and whose life’s ambition he’s just shattered. #Paris2024 (Source: X/Twitter)
Imane Khelif, on the other hand, faced scrutiny and backlash from some quarters but also received support from advocates of transgender rights, who argued for inclusion and fair treatment. The controversy highlighted the ongoing challenges and complexities in balancing inclusivity with fairness in competitive sports.
The fight was officially ruled abandoned, with Khelif advancing to a quarterfinal bout Saturday against Anna Luca Hamori, Hungary’s first Olympic women’s boxer, who expressed no concern about facing Khelif.
“I’m not scared,” said Hamori. “I don’t care about the press story and social media. If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win.”
After years of competing in amateur tournaments worldwide, Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan are now under intense scrutiny for their presence in Paris. Lin, a two-time IBA world champion in 2018 and 2022, had her bronze medal revoked last year by the governing body, which cited unspecified eligibility issues based on a biochemical test.
Lin’s campaign in Paris begins on Friday. As the No. 1 seed in the 57-kilogram category, she received a first-round bye and will face Sitora Turdibekova of Uzbekistan in her opening bout.
