Expressing regret, Angela Carini states her desire to offer an apology to Imane Khelif following her withdrawal from their Olympic boxing match, prompting a debate over gender qualification regulations.
As reported by the Italian newspaper, Gazzetta dello Sport, Carini acknowledges and respects the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) verdict permitting Khelif’s participation in the upcoming Paris 2024 boxing event.
The Algerian boxer, Khelif, aged 25, claimed victory in the round-of-16 bout for the women’s 66kg division against Carini in just 46 seconds on Thursday after the Italian relinquished, stating: “I chose to withdraw for my well-being.”
Carini explained her decision to withdraw citing severe pain in her nose and the impact of the blow she received which was unprecedented for her.
Khelif is among the pair of athletes who have been authorized to engage in the women’s boxing competition in Paris, despite being disqualified from last year’s global championships due to the failure in meeting gender eligibility standards.
The IOC spokesperson, Mark Adams, defended this ruling stating: “I would like to underline that all participants in the women’s division are fulfilling the eligibility criteria for the competition.”
Nevertheless, he also concedes that the matter is intricate and there is no straightforward explanation available.
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IOC: Gender eligibilty is ‘a minefield’
Reflecting on the enigma, Carini, aged 25, expressed, “I extend my sincere apologies to my opponent. I respect the IOC’s affirmation that she is entitled to compete.”
She regrets not engaging in a handshake with Khelif post their match stating, “It was not my intention… I genuinely wish to offer my apologies to her and everyone else. I was upset because my Olympic dream shattered.”
She further added that if she encountered Khelif again, she would “embrace her with warmth.”
World Athletics has grappled with the challenge of addressing athletes with differences in sex development (DSD) – notably the double Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya.
Meanwhile, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy remarked that watching the boxing match was “extremely uncomfortable”, acknowledging the complexity surrounding the issue but emphasizing the significance of sporting organizations in determining eligibility for competition.
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Nandy on ‘complex’ boxing row
Both Algeria’s Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting were previously disqualified from the World Championships last year owing to the outcomes of the International Boxing Association’s (IBA) gender verification test.
However, they have been granted permission to compete in the Olympics under the IOC’s distinct criteria.
Lin Yu-ting, the top seed in the featherweight category, who would have attained a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships had IBA not disqualified her, emerged victorious in her initial Olympic bout on Friday.
Both Lin and Khelif are set to participate in the quarter-finals over the upcoming weekend.
Khelif is scheduled to encounter Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori in the 66kg category on Saturday, while Lin will face Svetlana Staneva from Bulgaria on Sunday.
