Left-wing commentator Don Lemon has made comments regarding Italian boxer Angela Carini after she endured a tough match against Algerian Iman Kerif, who had previously faced issues with sexual eligibility tests. During the bout at the Paris Olympics, Carini was forced to withdraw in tears within a minute after taking several hard punches from Kerif.
Lemon posed the question, “Whose fault is that?” in reference to Carini’s fight with Kerif. He suggested that if competitors step into the ring, they should expect to face strong hits, regardless of gender.
After her match, Carini revealed that she faced significant online harassment. She shared screenshots of abusive messages on social media, where some commenters implored her not to return to the Olympics, while others labeled her as shameful and a disgrace to the Italian team.
Carini expressed her struggle with the insults, stating, “It’s just a sentence, it’s just a word, it’s just a fun, it’s just a want to chase the crowd.” Her decision to stop the fight, along with remarks from public figures like Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has sparked broader discussions about Kerif’s eligibility to compete.
Carini lamented that the incident had “destroyed” her career. In a video, she reflected on how memories of that day haunt her, describing it like an “infected wound” that has brought her continuous pain.
The International Olympic Committee defended the match’s outcome, stating that Kerif was the victim of an arbitrary decision made by the International Boxing Association (IBA), amidst questions about her gender identity. IBA President Umar Kremlev has called for Kerif’s Olympic medals to be revoked for greater transparency, after Kerif was previously disqualified over gender eligibility concerns related to her DNA results.
In response to the ongoing issues in the sport, World Boxing announced a new policy emphasizing mandatory gender testing to verify eligibility for the women’s category. Kerif is currently appealing this policy, which prohibits athletes from competing until the outcomes of genetic tests are available.
Meanwhile, new IOC President Kirsty Coventry has formed a task force to address ongoing gender eligibility matters in sports.
