The Italian boxer who lost to Imane Khelif, who “failed the gender test”, will receive prize money from the International Boxing Federation (IBA) equal to that of an Olympic champion, the IBA president has confirmed.
Angela Carini was forced to withdraw in tears from her Olympic welterweight bout against Algerian Khelif after just 46 seconds, after receiving two hard blows.
The Italian later stated that her decision to stop the fight was necessary to “save her life”, after explaining that she had “never felt a blow” like Khelif’s.
Her opponent’s participation in the Games has been a source of controversy after she was disqualified from last year’s Women’s World Boxing Championships. Her victory on Thursday has further fueled the controversy, prompting the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to defend her right to compete.
And now the IBA, which banned Khelif and fellow fighter Lin Yu Ting, who had passed the “passed gender test,” from the championships, has announced that they will pay Carini the highest prize money despite a first-round defeat.
Angela Carini will receive prize money from the International Boxing Association (IBA) equal to that of an Olympic champion.
Carini pulled out of her Olympic women’s welterweight bout against Imane Khelif (left) in tears after just 46 seconds
Now the IBA, led by President Umar Kremlev, has announced that they will pay Carini the highest prize money despite a first round defeat
The Italian will receive $50,000 for this, while her national association and her coach will each receive $25,000.
“I couldn’t watch her tears,” said IBA President Umar Kremlev.
‘I am not indifferent to such situations and I can assure you that we will protect every boxer.
“I don’t understand why they are killing women’s boxing. Only fit athletes should be in the ring, for safety reasons.”
Kremlev added that his organization will also “support” Uzbek fighter Sitora Turdibekova after she lost unanimously to Lin yesterday.
After the fight, Carini joined those who expressed their condolences to Khelif, admitting that she regretted her behavior after the fight, such as refusing to shake hands with her opponent.
“All this controversy makes me sad,” she told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I also feel sorry for my opponent. If the IOC has said she can fight, then I respect that decision.”
Khelif’s (left) victory was hugely controversial after she was disqualified from last year’s Women’s World Boxing Championships due to her elevated testosterone levels
Carini said she regretted her refusal to shake Khelif’s hand after the fight
Carini was hit twice and said her withdrawal was necessary to ‘save my life’
“It was not my intention (by not shaking hands),” Carini said.
“I actually want to apologize to her and everyone. I was angry because my Olympics went up in smoke.”
‘(I would) hug her (if I met her again).’
Carini was punched twice by Khelif in the opening round of their women’s welterweight bout in Paris.
The blows appeared to knock off the Italian boxer’s chin strap, sending the fighter running to her corner.
Carini returned to the center of the ring and left the match, with Khelif being declared the winner.
The Italian boxer, who claimed before the match that she could “only adapt to the rules of the Olympic Games”, was subsequently seen crying in the middle of the ring after the match’s abrupt end.
After Khelif was cleared to compete alongside Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting in Paris, the Olympic website reported that she had been disqualified by the IBA because her elevated testosterone levels did not meet eligibility criteria.
Uzbek boxer Sitora Turdibekova was seen crying after her loss to Lin Yu-Ting
Lin claimed a unanimous decision victory over Turdibekova (right) at the North Paris Arena
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Kremlev – who organised the match – said further DNA testing had “proven they had XY chromosomes” – in short, that they were classified as “biologically male”.
On the eve of the match between Khelif and Carini on Thursday, the IBA released a statement clarifying why the Algerian and Yu-Tin were disqualified from last year’s world championship.
Reference was made to an “accurate” assessment that was “extremely important and necessary to maintain the level of fairness and integrity of the competition”.
The letter added that no testosterone tests were conducted, but “a separate and recognized test, the details of which remain confidential.” That test “conclusively indicated that both athletes did not meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and that they had a competitive advantage over other female competitors.”
The IBA said the ban was also based on tests carried out at the 2022 World Boxing Championships and, significantly, said Khelif had withdrawn an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, making the decision legally binding.
In a dig, the IOC expressed concern about the inconsistent application of the eligibility criteria by other sporting bodies, including those that oversee the Olympic Games.
“The IOC’s differing rules in this area raise serious questions about both the fairness of the competition and the safety of the athletes,” they added.
Turdibekova struggled to contain her emotions as the judges’ scores were read out
Carini revealed that she would hug Khelif if they met again in the future
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Khelief has always been involved in women’s boxing and the IOC had to defend her further in a statement on Friday.
“The Algerian boxer was born as a woman, was registered as a woman, lived her life as a woman, boxed as a woman and has a woman’s passport,” said IOC spokesman Mark Adams.
Khelif is now set to face Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori in the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games on Saturday afternoon.
