Riley Gaines is one of the most prominent voices speaking out against the gender debate in Olympic boxing.
Algerian boxer Imane Kherif advanced to the women’s 66kg quarterfinals on Thursday after her opponent withdrew just 46 minutes into the bout.
Kheriff faced Italian boxer Angela Carini, who said she had received the hardest punch she had ever received in her career and decided to accept defeat.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Riley Gaines (Michael Clevenger/Courier Journal/USA Today Network/Files)
Kherif has previously come under fire for being deemed to have XY chromosomes, with the Algerian fighter banned from taking part in last year’s IBA World Championships because he did not meet gender requirements.
But Gaines praised Carini for using “the most effective way to send the message that enough is enough.”
“It was clear this guy wasn’t the same guy we saw in previous games. It was heartbreaking,” Gaines said. ‘Hot Mic’ by OutKick.
“The reality is, she’s a winner. She’s a hero to every little girl who’s watching and, in reality, a hero to every human being who abstained.” “Gaines for Girls” The podcast host said:
Algeria’s Imane Kherif (left) punches Italy’s Angela Carini during a match at the Paris Olympic Games on August 1, 2024 in Villepinte, France. (MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Jake Paul calls Olympic boxing controversy ‘nasty’, offers to compete as undercard fighter
Gaines also criticised the IOC for its “duplicate efforts” to allow Khelif to compete, after the IOC insisted on Thursday that boxers in the women’s competition “complied with the competition eligibility and entry rules, as well as all medical regulations established by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU)”.
“That’s the obligatory part that they have to say. They don’t mean it. They don’t care about Angela Carini. They don’t care that she could have lost her life. It sounds like an exaggeration, but that’s the reality. Even if it was a fatal injury, the IOC doesn’t care…
“The message is [the IOC is] The message is clear: we women don’t matter, we don’t deserve equal opportunities, we don’t deserve to call ourselves champions, we exist to validate men’s feelings and identities.”
Algeria’s Imane Kherif (right) defeats Italy’s Angela Carini in a match on August 1, 2024. (AP Photo/John Rocker)
Click here to get the FOX News app
Kerif faces Hungarian boxer Anna-Luka Hamori on Saturday, who says she is “not scared” of the controversial boxer.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydas contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital X’s sports coverage subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter.
