Boxer who stopped match with Imane Khelif after 46 seconds issues apology after Olympics committee breaks silence

The Italian boxer who abandoned her clash against Imane Khelif after just 46 seconds has announced she 'wants to apologise' to her opponent.

Angela Carini, 25, threw in the towel after less than a minute of being in the ring with the Algerian star, saying she had 'never been hit so hard' in her life and simply could not carry on.

The dramatic display prompted a lot of fans watching the Olympics to question whether Khelif, 25, should be allowed to participate, stirring up quite the controversy.

Khelif was previously disqualified from the 2023 World Championships after failing gender eligibility tests due to elevated levels of testosterone, but was cleared by the Paris Boxing Unit to compete at this year's Games.

Italy's Angela Carini broke down in tears on the canvas after calling off the bout (MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Taiwan's boxing champ Lin Yu Ting - who is set to face off against Uzbekistan's Sitora Turdibekova in a featherweight bout tomorrow (3 August) - faced the same situation, but has also been permitted to participate in the Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) have since spoken out in defence of the sports stars, explaining that their eligibility is based upon the gender stated on their 'passport'.

Organisers said that 'every person has the right to practise sport without discrimination' in a lengthy statement on the matter which was released in response to the backlas.

Amid the media circus which is now following Khelif, Carini has now expressed her wishes to make amends with her.

Speaking to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, the boxer said: "All this controversy makes me sad.

"I'm sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision."

The 25-year-old says she wants to apologise to Imane Khelif (Fabio Bozzani/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Carini said she stood by her decision to ditch the match after just 46 seconds, but admitted that she regretted not shaking hands with Khelif when she approached her in the ring.

But at the time, the Italian athlete was extremely emotional as she had just withdrew herself from the bout.

According to a lip-reader, Carini was seen turning to her coach Emanuele Renzini and saying, 'It hurt like hell', in reference to one of the blows she received from Khelif.

Discussing how she ignored her opponent's outstretched hand, Carini added: "It wasn't something I intended to do. "Actually, I want to apologise to her and everyone else.

"I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke."

She said that if she met Khelif again, she would 'embrace her'.

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