News/Commentary

‘This is unjust!’ Female Olympic boxer bows out in TEARS seconds after hit from ‘male’ competitor, sparks epic backlash

August 1, 2024 | | Print Article

Outrage is quickly building after a female Olympic boxer was forced to abandon her match against an alleged male boxer because his punches hit too hard.

**Editor’s note: This post has been updated to show that the Algerian boxer is not a transgender person as widely reported when news of the controversy broke, but is someone who reportedly carries XY (male) chromosomes, arguably giving them an unfair advantage. 

The outrage revolves around the fact that the boxer, Imane Khelif, has been allowed by the Olympics to identify and compete as a female, despite having previously failed a number of gender eligibility tests for having XY chromosomes.

Yet his phony, delusional belief has had no bearing on his unsurprising ability to beat Italian challenger Angela Carini to a pulp.

Watch:

ADVERTISEMENT

After abandoning the fight, Carini broke down into tears as she recounted what had just occurred.

“I am heartbroken,” she said. “I went to the ring to honor my father. I was told a lot of times that I was a warrior but I preferred to stop for my health. I have never felt a punch like this.”

“I got into the ring to fight. I didn’t give up, but one punch hurt too much and so I said enough. I’m going out with my head held high,” she added. “After the second punch, after years of experience, I felt a strong pain in the nose. I said enough because I didn’t want. I couldn’t finish the fight after the punch to the nose. So it was better to put an end to it.”

“I am in pieces because I am a fighter. They taught me to be a warrior. I have always tried to behave with honor. I have always represented my country with loyalty. This time I didn’t manage to because I couldn’t fight anymore. Regardless of the person I had in front, of me, which doesn’t interest me, regardless of all the row, I just wanted to win. I wanted to face the person that I had in front of me and to fight,” she added.

Asked about her opponent, she said it’s “not up to me to judge” whether he should have been allowed to compete. “I did my job,” she added.

ADVERTISEMENT

While this is what she said during her press conference, her behavior suggests that she rightly resents Khelif.

“She yelled ‘this is unjust’ at her corner and slammed her headgear on the canvas as the match in the 66-kilogram division was called off,” the New York Post noted. “Carini refused a handshake from Khelif and then ripped her hand away from the ref as Khelif’s was raised as the winner.”

Carini’s coach, Emanuel Renzini, meanwhile told reporters that many people in Italy had warned Carini against taking the fight.

“Many people in Italy tried to call and tell her: ‘Don’t go please: It’s a man, it’s dangerous for you,'” he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Carini’s unnecessary loss has sparked massive outrage, including from a number of high-profile individuals.

“I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women’s competitions,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a statement. “And not because you want to discriminate against someone, but to protect the right of female athletes to be able to compete on equal terms.”

Billionaire Elon Musk has also weighed in on the controversy:

Khelif is one of two XY chromosome-carrying boxers who’ve been allowed to compete against females in this year’s Olympics, with the other being Lin Yu‑ting.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Last year both fighters were disqualified from the 2023 women’s world champion­ships, with International Boxing Association (IBA) president Umar Kremlev saying that DNA tests had ‘proved they had XY chromosomes and were thus excluded,'” according to The Guardian.

What’s interesting is that the IBA has now joined critics in bashing the Olympics for allowing the two to compete against females.

“The [International Olympic Committee’s] differing regulations on these matters, in which IBA is not involved, raise serious questions about both competitive fairness and athletes’ safety,” the IBA said in a statement.

The Guardian noted that the International Olympic Committee’s position is that both men “are women according to their passports,” facts be damned.

See more outraged responses to what happened below:

Vivek Saxena
Latest posts by Vivek Saxena (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles