In a brief yet dramatic encounter at the Paris Olympics, Imane Khelif and Angela Carini's boxing match lasted only 46 seconds. After a few punches, Italian boxer Carini abruptly walked away from her Algerian opponent, ending her Olympic debut. Carini did not shake Khelif’s hand after the referee declared Khelif the winner. Instead, Carini knelt in the ring and cried. She later explained that severe pain from the initial punches made her stop the match.
"I felt severe pain in my nose," Carini said. "With the maturity of a boxer, I said ‘enough.’ I couldn’t finish the match."
What is the controversy?
Khelif's presence at the Olympics has been controversial. She was disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing a gender eligibility test. However, Carini insisted that her decision was not a political statement and that she was not refusing to fight Khelif on those grounds.
"I just did my job as a boxer," Carini said. "I fought with my head held high and with a broken heart for not finishing."
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni later visited Carini, offering her support. "I know you won’t give up, Angela," Meloni wrote on Instagram. "One day you will win what you deserve with effort and sweat."
Khelif is a skilled amateur boxer who won a silver medal at the 2022 world championships. She entered the Paris ring to cheers, but the crowd was confused by the sudden end of the bout. Italy coach Emanuele Renzini mentioned he had discussed the match with Carini beforehand, offering her a chance to back out, but she was determined to fight until the first few punches.
