After Italian boxer Angela Carini expressed regret and offered to “apologise” to Imane Khelif, former ESPN reporter Jemele Hill and University of South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley followed suit.
Carini said the controversy surrounding Khelif “sadens me.”[ed]”The IOC has decided to allow Khelif to take part in the games.”
Khelif is considered to have male XY chromosomes and was barred from competing in last year’s women’s world championships.
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Jemele Hill and Dawn Staley on Friday denounced the criticism of Imane Khelif. (Getty Images)
Following Carini’s apology, Hill said more people needed to follow suit and he wanted Khelif to take further action.
“A lot of people need to apologize,” The Atlantic reporter Hill wrote to X. “I expect Mr. Khelife to sue some people for his thoughtless remarks. This article just exposed the ugliness, hatred and transphobia. As Ms. Carini acknowledges here, she quit because she was upset about the bashing, but others took it differently.”
Staley added further comment after seeing Hill’s post.
“They too need to be prayed for and prayed for because their lives are made up of pure hatred.” Staley wrote.
Imane Khelif (red) of Algeria gestures to Angela Carini of Italy during the women’s 66 kg boxing qualifying round of 16 for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Arena Nord in Villepinte, Paris on August 1, 2024. (Mohamed Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images)
Riley Gaines calls female boxer a “hero” for withdrawing from bout against XY chromosome opponent, slams IOC
Hill responded, “I agree.”[d]”
Carini appeared to catch Kheriff cold after the right hook, which she said was one of her regrets from the bout.
“That was not what I intended to do,” Carini said. “In fact, I want to apologize to her and to everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics were gone.”
Khelib will face Hungary’s Luka Hamori in the next round on Saturday.
International Olympic Committee He defended Mr Khelif’s qualifications. The gender debate intensified on Thursday.
“These two athletes are the victims of the IBA’s sudden and arbitrary decision,” the IOC said of Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting. “Towards the end of the 2023 IBA World Championships, they were suddenly disqualified without due process.”
Algeria’s Imane Kherif, right, defeats Italy’s Angela Carini in a women’s 66 kg boxing qualifying match for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris. (AP Photo/John Rocker)
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According to the minutes, available on the IBA website, the decision was initially made by the IBA’s Executive Director and CEO. The IBA Board subsequently endorsed the decision and subsequently requested that a procedure be established to be followed in future similar cases and reflected in IBA regulations. The minutes also state that the IBA needs to “establish clear procedures regarding sex testing.”
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydas contributed to this report.
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