Italian boxer Angela Carini has issued a heartfelt apology following her abandonment of her Olympic fight against Imane Khelif. After Khelif won their bout in just 46 seconds, Carini was visibly distraught, collapsing to her knees in tears and initially refusing to shake Khelif’s hand.
In an interview with ‘Gazzetta dello Sport’, Carini expressed her regret, stating that her actions were a result of frustration and sadness over her Olympic dreams being cut short. She acknowledged the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to clear Khelif to compete and stated she respects that decision. Carini emphasized that she did not intend any disrespect and would embrace Khelif if given the chance to meet her again.
Khelif, who had been disqualified from last year’s Women’s World Championships for failing a gender eligibility test, was allowed to compete in the Paris Olympics. The controversy intensified when Hungarian boxer Anna Luca Hamori posted an image on Instagram depicting a woman in boxing gloves facing a muscular beast with horns, which has since been deleted.
The IOC had previously stated that Khelif, along with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, met the competition eligibility rules for the women’s category in Paris. Both athletes were disqualified from the 2023 World Championships due to biochemical tests, but were permitted to compete in Paris under the IOC’s regulations.
In response to the media coverage and controversy surrounding Khelif, Algeria’s Olympic Committee condemned the “malicious and unethical attacks” against the athlete. They criticized the “lies” and “unfair” treatment, expressing their full support for Khelif.
Australian boxer Skye Nicholson defended both Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, addressing the misinformation about their eligibility. Nicholson, who has sparred with both athletes, asserted that they were born female and have always competed as women. She criticized the media for their role in spreading false information and emphasized that the scrutiny they faced was unwarranted.
The IOC has confirmed that all athletes competing in the women’s category are in compliance with competition eligibility rules.