Italian boxer Angela Carini has reported experiencing online harassment following her controversial loss to Algeria’s Iman Kerif at the Paris Games last summer.
Carini’s match against Kerif was notably brief, ending just 46 seconds in, as images of the fight left numerous viewers unsettled. Prior to this, Kerif, who had previously failed a sexual eligibility test for another international event, had been awarded a gold medal.
This incident ignited significant backlash worldwide, emphasizing the need to protect women’s sports, especially after Carini paused her fight to express her distress to reporters regarding Kerif’s punch.
On Thursday, Carini shared a video on Instagram that included screenshots of the abusive messages she received online. Some messages urged her not to compete in the Olympics again, while others insulted her and criticized the Italian team, expressing their disappointment in her performance.
“Have you ever thought about how challenging it is to face such words? Did I have to endure all of this each day? I felt the need to remain silent about it,” Carini explained. “For them, it’s just a sentence, just a word, merely a joke to entertain the crowd.”
Carini’s choice to halt the fight has led to further discussions about whether Kerif should continue to compete, drawing commentary from figures like President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Carini expressed that the whole experience had “destroyed” her career. “For many, moving on from the past is simple, but for me, it’s not,” she stated in the video. “This event has left a deep wound that I try to heal daily; it’s like a continuously painful injury.”
Reflecting on her career, Carini noted that her hard work and dedication over the years felt shattered by this episode.
After the Paris Games, Carini mentioned she had retreated into silence with her family as she attempted to piece herself back together. She made a comeback in December, winning her eighth Italian title and a gold medal at the Poland World Boxing Cup.
“Putting aside all my disappointments, I returned to the ring, reclaiming my title as the Italian champion and securing medals from a vital international tournament. It was a tough challenge to step back into that ring,” she remarked.
“My words might not change the world, and I won’t soften my stance toward anyone. But I hope to encourage reflection. Words and actions can inflict real pain and harm on people.”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) stood by the outcome of the match, asserting that Kerif and another boxer facing gender eligibility concerns were victims of an “arbitrary decision by the IBA.”
Kerif has denied allegations of being transgender. The International Boxing Association (IBA) President, Umar Kremlev, called for the stripping of Kerif’s Olympic gold medal in July to ensure “transparency and openness.” Kerif had been previously disqualified by the IBA for not meeting gender eligibility criteria, with Kremlev citing unpublished DNA test results indicating Kerif had XY chromosomes.
World Boxing, the sport’s international governing body, introduced a new policy in August mandating sexual testing to determine eligibility for women’s competitions.
Kerif is currently appealing this policy, which prevents athletes from competing until genetic testing results are available.
At a press conference on August 5, when questioned about genetic testing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Trump asserted that there should be “strong testing” in place.
New IOC President Kirsty Coventry has initiated a task force to examine issues surrounding gender eligibility.
