I quit to save my LIFE, says distraught female Olympic boxer who lasted 46 seconds against rival who failed gender test
ANGELA CARINI’s fear for her life prompted her to quit her controversial fight against Imane Khelif.
The Italian fought her opponent, who previously failed a gender test, for just 46 seconds before throwing in the towel.
Carini, 25, was hit twice in the face in round one and after the first blow she walked over to her corner to seemingly have her chin strap adjusted.
But after Khelif, 25, landed a second powerful blow, the fight was abruptly over.
Carini then refused to acknowledge and shake hands with the Algerian after the referee announced the winner of the 66kg welterweight bout.
She then fell to her knees and began to cry.
Khelif’s presence at the Olympics has been deemed controversial as she was disqualified from last year’s Women’s World Championships for failing to meet eligibility criteria.
The International Olympic Committee said Khelif was disqualified in New Delhi for failing a testosterone level test.
She is one of two athletes cleared to compete in Paris along with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who was stripped of a bronze medal at the World Champs for failing a gender eligibility test.
Opening up on her decision to quit, Carini said: “I couldn’t carry on. I have a big pain in my nose and I said, ‘Stop’.
“It’s better to avoid keeping going. My nose started dripping from the first hit.
“It could be the match of my life but, in that moment, I had to safeguard my life, too. I felt to do this, I didn’t have any fear, I don’t have any fear of the ring or to get hit.
“I fought very often in the national team. I train with my brother. I’ve always fought against men, but I felt too much pain today.”
“I am heartbroken. I have big pain in my nose and blood on my finger.”
She added: “I’m used to suffering. I’ve never taken a punch like that, it’s impossible to continue. I’m nobody to say it’s illegal.
“I got into the ring to fight. But I didn’t feel like it anymore after the first minute. I started to feel a strong pain in my nose.
“I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much and so I said enough. I’m leaving with my head held high.
“I am sorry not to have taken Italy onto the podium. I entered the ring and I told myself I have to take out all of myself independently from the person I had in front of me.
“And honestly, I don’t care. I said to myself, ‘This is my Olympics’. Independently, from all controversy, I just wanted to carry on and win.’
“I am not one that easily surrenders. Even if they told me, let’s not fight, I would not have accepted it.
“I am a fighter. My father taught me to be a warrior.
“When I am in the ring, I use that mindset, the mindset of a warrior, a winning mindset. This time I couldn’t make it.
“You all saw my nose that started bleeding. I didn’t lose tonight, I just surrendered with maturity.”
Carini bears no ill will towards Khelif, saying: “I wish her to carry on until the end and that she can be happy.
Olympics gender controversy
THE International Olympic Committee (IOC) stirred up a huge controversy by clearing two women to box who had previously failed a gender test.
Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting were disqualified at the Women’s World Championships in New Delhi, India, in March 2023.
Lin Yu-ting was stripped of a bronze medal after failing a gender eligibility test.
Khelif was disqualified in New Delhi for failing a testosterone level test.
Officials found tests showed they had ‘XY chromosomes’ — which indicates a person is biologically male.
Rare ‘intersex’ medical conditions, medically known as differences in sexual development (DSDs), can also mean outwardly female individuals can have ‘male’ chromosomes, or vice versa.
The Russia-led International Boxing Association organised that event but is no longer recognised by the IOC.
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.
“The federation needs to make the rules to make sure that there is fairness but at the same time there is the ability for everyone to take part that wants to. That is a difficult balance.
“In the end the experts for each sport are the people who work in that. If there is a big advantage that clearly is not acceptable, but that needs to be a decision made at that level.”
Both Khelif and Lin competed at the delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. Lin is a two-time winner at the Asian Women Amateur Boxing Championships.
The IOC said all boxers in Paris “comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations”.
The controversy follows the famous case of Caster Semenya.
South African middle-distance runner Semenya has a condition which means her body naturally produces higher levels of testosterone than normal for women.
She won gold in the 800m at London 2012 and Rio in 2016 but was unable to compete at Tokyo in 2021 after World Athletics brought in new rules independently of the IOC at the time.
“I am someone who doesn’t judge anyone. I am not here to give judgements.
“I simply entered the ring to fight and to fight for my dream. It didn’t happen. Evidently, God and my father wanted this and I accept it.
“I am not in the position of saying this is right or wrong. I am not.
“I did my job as a boxer, entering the ring and fighting.
“I didn’t manage to, but I am exiting with my head held high and with a broken heart. I am a mature woman, the ring is my life.
“I’ve always been very instinctive, but when I feel something is not going well, it’s not a surrender but having the maturity to stop.”
After booking passage to the next round, Khelif said: “God willing, this was the first victory.
“God is willing me to the golden one. Khelif later added added: “Difficult for a first fight.
“Inshallah [if Allah wills it]) for the second fight. I am very prepared because it’s been eight years of preparation.
“It’s my second Olympic Games after fifth place at Tokyo. ‘I need an Olympic medal here in Paris.
“We will see who will win the second fight to know who will be the opponent.
“We will be ready and we will do everything to bring back a medal for Algeria. One, two, three, viva Algeria.”