To the Olympics, where a rather contentious boxing match has come to an abrupt end. The sport came under the spotlight after it emerged that Algerian boxer Imane Khelif had been allowed to compete in the women’s boxing category in 2024 Paris Olympics despite, um, being thrown out of the women’s world championships after failing a sex test. Good heavens…
Today, Khelif was allowed to fight Italy’s Angela Carini – but the match didn’t even last a minute. After receiving a harsh blow to her face, Carini asked for time out – before abandoning the match altogether just 46 seconds in. Breaking down in tears after the referee signalled that Khelif had won, Carini went on to give an emotional statement to reporters. Telling the Telegraph she had never been punched so hard, the Italian boxer told the press:
I wasn’t able to finish the match, I felt a strong pain to my nose and I said [to myself] for the experience that I have and the maturity as a woman that I have, I hope my nation won’t take it badly, I hope my dad won’t take it badly – but I stopped, I said stop for myself. It could have been the match of a lifetime, but I had to preserve my life as well in that moment.
Goodness. The fight has prompted widespread criticism of the International Olympic Committee’s decision to allow Khelif to take part in the women’s category. The UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls tweeted that ‘[Carini] and other female athletes should not have been exposed to this physical and psychological violence based on their sex.’ Meanwhile the Italian PM Giorgia Meloni has blasted the match for ‘not [being] an even contest’, adding firmly: ‘Athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women’s competitions.’
And JK Rowling has taken to Twitter to fume: ‘This isn’t sport… This is men revelling in their power over women.’ Taking aim at the IOC, Rowling continued: ‘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, your ‘safeguarding’ is a joke and #Paris24 will be forever tarnished by the brutal injustice done to Carini.’
Strong stuff. Will the Olympic Committee now apologise for their decision? Watch this space…
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