Italian boxer Angela Carini, whose Olympic welterweight bout against Algeria’s Imane Kherif was abruptly ended 46 seconds into the bout on Thursday, has been warned not to fight Kherif, according to her coach, because Kherif failed a gender eligibility test for the 2023 world championships.
Carini broke down in tears after being punched twice in the face.
“I don’t know if her nose is broken. I have to talk to her, but a lot of people in Italy called and tried to tell her: ‘Don’t go, it’s a man and it’s dangerous for you,'” Carini’s coach Emanuele Renzini told reporters after the match.
The International Olympic Committee deliberated over the participation of both boxers after both Khelib and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting were disqualified from last year’s world championships run by the Russia-led International Boxing Association.
The IBA has stopped offering boxing events at the Olympics.
“All athletes taking part in the boxing competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will comply with the eligibility and entry rules of the tournament, as well as all applicable medical regulations,” the IOC said in a statement ahead of the Paris 2024 Games.
2024 Paris Olympics
“It’s heartbreaking,” Carini said.
“I stepped into the ring to honour my father,” Carini told reporters. “I was told many times I was a warrior, but I decided to stop for my health. I’ve never taken a punch like that before.”
“I went into the ring to fight. I didn’t give up, but one punch hurt so much that I decided enough was enough. I’m leaving the ring with my head held high.”
“After the second punch, after all the years of experience, I felt a lot of pain in my nose and I said enough is enough, I didn’t want to do it anymore. I couldn’t finish the fight after that punch to the nose, so it was better to end it.”
Kheriff is focused on the next match.
“I’m here for the money,” Khelif said. He told BBC Sport“I’ll fight anyone.”
The match was officially called off, and Khelib advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinal against Hungary’s Luka Hamori.
