Olympic boxer walks out of fight after just 46 seconds against rival who previously failed gender eligibility test
Italian Olympic boxer Angela Carini walked out of her fight against Imane Khelif, making the Algerian boxer the winner after just 46 seconds.
Carini and Khelif stepped in to the ring during the Paris 2024 Olympics today (1 August), but only exchanged a few punches before Carini abandoned the welterweight 16 round bout altogether.
The Italian boxer's headgear appeared to become dislodged twice before she gave up, and she refused to shake Khelif's hand after she was announced as winner.
Carini also appeared to get emotional in the ring before she stepped away from the bout.
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Commenting on her decision, the Italian said: "I have always honoured my country with loyalty. This time I didn't succeed because I couldn't fight anymore. So I put an end to the match."
Carini spoke post fight about leaving early, according to the ANSA news agency, saying: “I went into the ring to fight. I didn't give up, but a punch hurt too much and so I said enough.”
“I'm leaving with my head held high.”
The surprising end to the fight came after Kheli was disqualified from the world championships in 2023 after she failed an unspecified gender eligibility test due to what the International Boxing Association claimed were elevated levels of testosterone.
According to a Reuters report, she failed due to the IBA eligibility rules prevent athletes with XY chromosomes from competing in women’s events.
The Algerian boxer previously won a silver medal at the International Boxing Association’s 2022 world championships.
Prior to the fight, the Algerian Olympic Committee issued a statement criticising what it described as 'lies' and claiming there was 'unethical targeting and maligning of our esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif, with baseless propaganda from certain foreign media outlets'.
Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding accusations against the Algerian boxer, the Olympic Committee condemned the attacks ahead of the fight.
The Algeria Olympic Committee also added: "Such attacks on her personality and dignity are deeply unfair, especially as she prepares for the pinnacle of her career at the Olympics. The COA has taken all necessary measures to protect our champion."
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has also defended the athletes participating in this year’s Olympics and said they have all passed eligibility.
On Tuesday, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: "These athletes have competed many times before for many years, they haven't just suddenly arrived - they competed in Tokyo."
Team USA's current medal count - 31
Gold medalists
- Lee Kiefer: Fencing - Women's individual foil
- Torri Huske: Swimming - Women's 100m butterfly
- Jack Alexj, Chris Guiliano, Hunter Armstrong, Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Held, Matt King: Swimming - Men's 4x100m freestyle
- Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, Hezly Rivera: Artistic Gymnastics - Women's team competition
- Katie Ledecky: Swimming - Women's 1500m freestyle
- Nick Mead, Justin Best, Michael Grady and Liam Corrigan: Rowing - Men's coxless four
Silver medalists
- Nic Fink: Swimming - Men's 100m breaststroke
- Lauren Scruggs: Fencing - Women's individual foil
- Gretchen Walsh: Swimming - Women's 100m butterfly
- Haley Batten: Mountain Bike - Women's cross country
- Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh. Torri Huske, Simone Manuel, Erika Connolly, Abbey Weitzel: Swimming - Women's 4x100m freestyle
- Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook: Diving - Women's springboard 3m synchronised
- Katie Grimes: Swimming - Women's 400m individual medley
- Jagger Eaton: Skateboarding - Men's street
- Regan Smith: Swimming - Women's 100m backstroke
- Bobby Finke: Swimming - Men's 800m freestyle
- Carson Foster, Brooks Curry, Chris Guiliano, Luke Hobson, Drew Kibler, Blake Pieroni, Kieran Smith: Swimming - Men, 4x200m freestyle
- Perris Benegas: Cycling - Women's BMX freestyle
- Torri Huske: Swimming - Women's 100m freestyle
Bronze medalists
- Carson Foster: Swimming - Men's 400m individual medley
- Katie Ledecky: Swimming - Women's 400m freestyle
- Chloe Dygert: Cycling - Women's individual time trial
- Frederick Richard, Brody Malone, Stephen Nedoroscik, Paul Juda, Asher Hong: Artistic Gymnastics - Men's team competition
- Nick Itkin: Fencing - Men's foil individual
- Emma Weyant: Swimming - Women's 400m individual medley
- Ryan Murphy: Swimming - Men's 100m backstroke
- Luke Hobson: Swimming - Men's 200m freestyle
- Nyjah Huston: Skateboarding - Men's street
- Ilona Maher, Kayla Canett, Lauren Doyle, Alev Kelter, Kristi Kirshe, Sarah Levy, Alena Olsen, Ariana Ramsey, Steph Rovetti, Alex Sedrick, Sammy Sullivan, Naya Tapper: Rugby 7s - Women's team competition
- Katharine Berkoff: Swimming - Women's 100m backstroke
- Evy Leibfarth: Canoe slalom - Women's Canoe Single
Topics: Olympics, Sport, Imane Khelif
Gerrard Kaonga