The Italian boxer who lost to ‘failed gender test’ fighter Imane Khelif is set to receive prize money, equal to that of an Olympic champion, from the International Boxing Association (IBA), its president has confirmed.
Angela Carini withdrew from her Olympic women’s welterweight fight against Algerian Khelif in tears just 46 seconds in after being struck with two strong blows.
The Italian later revealed her decision to abandon the fight was necessary to ‘preserve my life’, after she explained how she had ‘never felt a punch’ like the one Khelif inflicted.
Her opponent’s participation in the games has been a source of contention given she was disqualified from the Women’s World Boxing Championships last year and her victory on Thursday created more controversy, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) subsequently defending her right to compete.
And now the IBA, who banned Khelif and fellow ‘failed gender test’ fighter Lin Yu Ting from the championships, have revealed they will pay Carini the top level of prize money despite a first-round defeat.
Angela Carini is set to receive prize money equal to that of an Olympic champion from the International Boxing Association (IBA)
Carini withdrew from her Olympic women’s welterweight fight against Imane Khelif (left) in tears after just 46 seconds
Now the IBA, led by president Umar Kremlev, have revealed they will pay Carini the top level of prize money despite a first-round defeat
This will see the Italian pocket $50,000, while her national federation and her coach will each receive $25,000.
‘I couldn’t look at her tears,’ IBA president Umar Kremlev said.
‘I am not indifferent to such situations, and I can assure that we will protect each boxer.
‘I do not understand why they kill women’s boxing. Only eligible athletes should compete in the ring for the sake of safety.’
Kremlev added that his organisation will also ‘support’ Uzbekistani fighter Sitora Turdibekova after she unanimously lost to Lin yesterday.
Since the fight, Carini has joined those expressing sympathy towards Khelif and admitted she had some regrets at how she acted after the fight, which included her refusing to shake hands with her opponent.
‘All this controversy makes me sad,’ she told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.
‘I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.’
Khelif’s (left) victory was hugely controversial after she was disqualified from the Women’s World Boxing Championships last year due to her elevated levels of testosterone
Carini hinted that she regretted how she refused to shake hands with Khelif after the fight
Carini took two heavy blows and said her withdrawal was needed in order to ‘preserve my life’
‘It wasn’t something I intended to do (by not shaking hands),’ Carini said.
‘Actually, I want to apologise to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke.’
‘(I would) embrace her (if I met her again).’
Carini was punched twice by Khelif in the opening round of their women’s welterweight bout in Paris.
The blows appeared to knock off the Italian boxer’s chin strap, with the fighter moving over to her corner.
Carini returned to the centre of the ring and abandoned the bout, leading to Khelif being declared as the winner.
The Italian boxer, who claimed before the fight that she could ‘only adapt to the rules of the Olympics’, was then seen crying in the centre of the ring following the abrupt conclusion of the bout.
After being cleared to compete in Paris alongside Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting, the Olympics website had noted that Khelif had been disqualified by the IBA when her elevated levels of testosterone failed to meet the eligibility criteria.
Uzbekistani boxer Sitora Turdibekova was seen crying after losing to Lin Yu-Ting
Lin secured a unanimous decision win over Turdibekova (right) at the North Paris Arena
Kremlev – who ran that competition – said that further DNA tests had ‘proved they had XY chromosomes’. In short, that they had been deemed ‘biologically male’.
On the eve of Thursday’s fight between Khelif and Carini, the IBA then released a statement clarifying why the Algerian and Yu-Tin had been disqualified from last year’s World Championship.
It cited a ‘meticulous’ review which ‘was extremely important and necessary to uphold the level of fairness and utmost integrity of the competition’.
The missive added that no testosterone examinations were held, rather ‘a separate and recognised test, whereby the specifics remain confidential’. That examination ‘conclusively indicated that both athletes did not meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors’.
The IBA said the ban was also based on tests conducted at the World Boxing Championships in 2022 and said – significantly – that Khelif withdrew an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, rendering the decision legally binding.
In a dig at the IOC, they ‘expressed concern over the inconsistent application of eligibility criteria by other sporting organisations, including those overseeing the Olympic Games’.
‘The IOC’s differing regulations on these matters raise serious questions about both competitive fairness and athletes’ safety,’ they added.
Turdibekova struggled to contain her emotions as the judges’ scores were read out
Carini revealed she would embrace Khelif if they came across each other again in the future
Khelief has always competed in women’s boxing, with the IOC forced to defend her further in a statement on Friday.
‘The Algerian boxer was born female, was registered female, lived her life as a female, boxed as a female, has a female passport,’ IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said.
Khelif is now set to face Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary in the Olympics quarter-final on Saturday afternoon.
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