Female Olympic boxer quits, reduced to tears after 46-second fight against male competitor
An Italian female boxer quit 46 seconds into a fight against an opponent with XY chromosomes at the Olympics on Thursday after getting punched twice in the face, prompting renewed backlash to the hot-button issue of men competing in women's sports.
Angela Carini, who told reporters she was fighting in honor of her late father, was reduced to tears after abandoning the fight against her Algerian opponent Imane Khelif.
Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 World Championships after failing a gender eligibility test conducted by the Russia-based International Boxing Association, according to a Wednesday statement from the organization.
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IBA no longer governs boxing at the Olympics; instead, it is run by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Both Khelif and double world champion Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan were cleared by the IOC to participate in the sport despite failing gender eligibility tests in the past.
In their statement, IBA said, "The IOC’s differing regulations on these matters, in which IBA is not involved, raise serious questions about both competitive fairness and athletes’ safety."
After the fight, a tearful Carini remained defiant despite quitting the match, refusing to shake Khelif's hand and throwing her headgear while shouting, "This is unjust!"
"I got into the ring to fight. But I didn’t feel like it anymore after the first minute. I started to feel a strong pain in my nose. 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 said.
Carini said she felt she had to stop the fight "to preserve my life," but suggested she felt she had let both her late father and her nation down, according to BBC Sport.
"I wasn't able to finish the match. I felt a strong pain to my nose and I said [to myself] for the experience that I have and the maturity as a woman that I have, I said I hope my nation won't take it badly, I hope my dad won't take it badly — but I stopped, I said stop for myself," she said.
According to the New York Post, Carini's coach Emanuel Renzini said people had warned her against fighting Khelif, telling her, "Don’t go please: It’s a man, it’s dangerous for you."
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the fight as unfair.
"I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women's competitions," Meloni said, according to The Telegraph.
"And not because you want to discriminate against someone, but to protect the right of female athletes to be able to compete on equal terms," she added.
Carini's situation also drew scorn from prominent voices who have been speaking out for years against men competing in women's sports.
Riley Gaines, an American former competitive swimmer who has advocated for gender segregation in sports after losing against male swimmer Lia (Will) Thomas in the 2022 NCAA freestyle championship, suggested that allowing Carini's situation was both evil and dangerous.
"As if the Satanic display at the opening ceremony [wasn't] enough, the Olympics glorifies men punching women in the face with the intent of knocking them unconscious," Gaines tweeted. "Imane Khelif is 1 of 2 male boxers fighting women at the Olympics. A woman is going to die."
As if the Satanic display at the opening ceremony wasnt enough, the Olympics glorifies men punching women in the face with the intent of knocking them unconscious.
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) July 30, 2024
Imane Khelif is 1 of 2 male boxers fighting women at the Olympics. A woman is going to die. pic.twitter.com/kYJX1MaAw4
Author J.K. Rowling, who has steadfastly opposed women in men's sports despite fierce backlash, echoed Gaines.
"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," she wrote.
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. #Paris2024pic.twitter.com/Q5SbKiksXQ
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 1, 2024
Caitlyn Jenner, who won the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal for the Decathlon when he went by the name Bruce, issued multiple tweets condemning the fight between Carini and Khelif.
"I’ve been saying this for years; Men don’t belong in women’s sports, period. Watching what the IOC allowed to happen (the women beat the hell out of by men) in boxing is SHAMEFUL! Shame on the IOC for letting men compete in women’s boxing events!" Jenner tweeted.
Where is the outrage from the pro-woman @VP Harris??
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) August 1, 2024
I’ve been fighting this and shouting it from the rooftops for 4 years now - well before we all watched the famous swimmer example. This is exactly why. Harris / Biden erased women from title IX and the IOC allowed this. SHAME! pic.twitter.com/YGMXRbcXHR
Jenner, a Republican, also blamed Vice President Kamala Harris for supporting the enshrining of gender identity under Title IX protections.
"Where is the outrage from the pro-woman [Vice President] Harris??" Jenner wrote. "I’ve been fighting this and shouting it from the rooftops for 4 years now - well before we all watched the famous swimmer example. This is exactly why. Harris / Biden erased women from title IX and the IOC allowed this. SHAME!"
Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to [email protected]
