Famed “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling and several others spoke out after an Olympic boxer who was determined to have male chromosomes won a bout in Paris in 46 seconds on Thursday.
Algerian boxer Imane Kherif defeated Italy’s Angela Carini as she abandoned the bout, later explaining that she was so badly beaten that she could no longer compete.
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Angela Carini reacts after abandoning her fight against Imane Kherif at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Thursday, August 1. (AP Photo/John Rocker)
However, controversy has erupted on social media after Khelif came under fire over questions about his gender eligibility following his disqualification in 2023. X users slammed the decision to allow Khelif to compete.
Kherif was disqualified from the 2023 World Championships following sanctions from the International Boxing Association, which said he and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting did not meet gender eligibility criteria.
IBA president Umar Kremlev explained the decision at the time, according to Russia’s TASS news agency, after Reuters reported at the time that Heriff had tested positive for high testosterone levels.
Imane Kherif, left, competes against Angela Carini at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Thursday, Aug. 1. (AP Photo/John Rocker)
Italian boxer breaks silence after abandoning Olympic bout with opponent over gender controversy
“DNA tests revealed that several athletes had tried to deceive their colleagues by pretending to be women. The tests showed that they have XY chromosomes. They have been excluded from competition,” Kremlyov said.
Both Khelif and the Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) have denied the allegations. The International Olympic Committee has also cleared Khelif to compete in the Olympics.
After the match, Carini voiced his concerns in Italian to his coaches, questioning the fairness of the match, before breaking his silence and explaining why he abandoned the match.
“I went into the ring to fight,” she told Italy’s ANSA news agency. “I wasn’t going to give up, but one punch hurt so much that I decided that was enough.”
Athlete Imane Kherif interacts with his coach during the 2024 Olympics at the North Paris Arena on Aug. 1, 2024. (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
“I’m going out with my head held high.”
Carini’s coach, Emanuele Renzini, said the decision to forfeit the match had not been planned in advance.
“It would have been easier for her not to play, because the whole of Italy had been asking her not to play for many days,” Renzini said, “but Angela was motivated and wanted to play.”
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“Of course, when she faced her opponent with a draw, she said, ‘It’s not fair,’ but today was not a planned match. She gave up after one punch and told me she didn’t feel like she could fight.”
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