Italian boxer Angela Carini was forced to withdraw mid-fight from the Paris Olympics after sustaining severe blows from her Algerian opponent Imane Khelif, who had previously failed a gender eligibility test at the Boxing World Championships last year.
Khelif, whose controversial inclusion in the Games was sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), delivered a flurry of punches within the first 30 seconds, culminating in a powerful strike to Carini’s nose. This left the Italian no choice but to raise her hand and retreat to her corner, ending her hopes for an Olympic medal.
Carini’s withdrawal sparked widespread outrage, with many criticising the IOC’s decision to allow athletes with male XY chromosomes to compete in women’s events.
But there is widespread confusion over Khelif’s gender status with some maintaining she was born a woman but has a genetic disorder (DSD) that gives her higher testosterone levels and XY chromosomes. On the other hand, anyone with XY chromosomes is biologically male. While transgender surgeries are outlawed in Algeria, and her passport reportedly identifies her as female, her high testosterone levels resulted in her exclusion from global boxing events for “medical reasons.”
Earlier this week Khelif eliminated Breanna Cruz of Mexico with a brutal display of power and speed.
Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting had been disqualified from the 2023 World Championships for failing International Boxing Association (IBA) eligibility rules but were cleared to compete in Paris.
Despite the IOC’s guidelines on fairness and inclusion, critics argue that athletes who have undergone male puberty possess significant physical advantages, such as increased muscle mass and skeletal strength, over their female counterparts.
This sentiment was echoed by prominent figures like British author J.K. Rowling and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who both condemned the situation as deeply unjust.
In response the IOC has said that, “all athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU) (please find all applicable rules here). As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport.”
A male boxer beats a female boxer at the Olympics. Totally unfair. pic.twitter.com/OrHMvUkYES
— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) August 1, 2024
JK Rowling slams Paris Olympics calling it a ‘Disgrace’ after a biological male beat a female in women’s boxing.
“A young female boxer has just had everything she’s worked and trained for snatched away because you allowed a male to get in the ring with her. You’re a disgrace,… pic.twitter.com/OedcnMfj2J
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) August 1, 2024
Disgraceful.
Anyone with a Y chromosome should NOT be able to compete in women’s sports. 😡
Rightly so. I don’t know why this continues as it’s so patently obvious. Just legalised thuggery.
I would say in a country like Algeria you could pay the local passport official a bit of money to have your passport say whatever gender you want. Olympics is a disgrace. XY means u are a man. Period.
J K Rowling is right. We’re not watching any Olympics due to this crap and also the Satanic Opening debacle. Come on you ladies, unite and just walk away from any sport or competition that allows this shit. After a year of boycotting the woke organisers might get the message.