Boxer breaks silence after withdrawing from fight after 46 seconds amid gender controversy
Topics: Olympics, Sport, Imane Khelif
Mia Williams
Featured Image Credit: Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Topics: Olympics, Sport, Imane Khelif
A Paris Olympics boxer who broke down in tears when she withdrew from a bout after only 46 seconds has spoken out about the match.
Angela Carini went up against Algerian fighter Imane Khelif in Paris today, having been on the receiving end of some painful-looking blows.
But she has now spoken out about the experience she branded as 'unjust', following her withdrawal from the fight after 46 seconds.
During the clash, Carini suffered a suspected broken nose, after taking many punches that she said 'hurt like hell'.
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Khelif was previously disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after failing gender eligibility tests.
But the International Olympic Committee said it was satisfied she complied with all rules to compete for this year's Paris games.
According to Italian news agency ANSA, following the fight, Carini said: "I went into the ring to fight.
"I didn't give up, but a punch hurt too much and so I said enough.
"I'm leaving with my head held high."
She added: "I have always honoured my country with loyalty.
"This time I didn’t succeed because I couldn’t fight anymore.
"So I put an end to the match.”
The IOC has defended the athlete's right to compete, with spokesperson Mark Adams saying in a statement: “Everyone competing in the women’s category is complying with the competition eligibility rules.
"They are women in their passports and it’s stated that this is the case, that they are female.”
A number of boxers have spoken out about their thoughts on the topic at this year's Games, with some expressing their concerns, while others have suggested careful consideration is needed for a clearly complex matter.
Australian middleweight Caitlin Parker weighed in: “I don’t agree with that being allowed, especially in combat sports as it can be incredibly dangerous.
“But right now, my focus is on getting through each fight.
"It is good that these things are coming out, and it’s being put under the spotlight to be looked into further.
"Combat sports can be dangerous.
"Fairness is what it’s all about. We all want fairness in sport.”
It seems as though Khelif's participation in this year's Olympics has proven to be controversial, despite competing at the Tokyo Games in 2021.