Angela Carini, an Italian boxer, has provided an explanation for her decision to abruptly end her boxing match against Imane Khelif.
On August 1, Carini faced off against the Algerian boxer but decided to call off the fight just 46 seconds in.
The bout was scheduled for four rounds, but Carini felt unable to continue.
The 25-year-old welterweight experienced issues with her headgear, which became dislodged twice in the brief time she fought Khelif.
Considering her surprising decision to end the fight so quickly, Carini has now addressed the situation.
Speaking to the press following the match, Carini stated: “This time I didn’t succeed because I couldn’t fight anymore.
“I put an end to the match because after the second blow, after years of experience in the ring and a life of fighting, I felt a strong pain in my nose.
“I said ‘that’s enough’ because […] I could not bring the match to an end. So I thought, maybe it’s better to put an end to the match.”
It is suspected that Carini may have sustained a broken nose during the fight, although this has not been confirmed yet.
Prior to the match between Carini and Khelif, there was already some controversy as Khelif faced disqualification in last year’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi.
Khelif failed a gender eligibility test due to elevated testosterone levels, according to the International Boxing Association.
Reuters reported that Khelif was disqualified because IBA eligibility rules prohibit athletes with XY chromosomes from competing in women’s events.
The International Olympics Committee (IOC) has been under scrutiny for allowing Khelif to participate in the Games despite her previous health test failures.
Additionally, Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting has been a point of discussion. Similar to Khelif, she was disqualified from last year’s World Championships for not meeting gender eligibility criteria.
Caitlin Parker, the captain of the Australian boxing team for Paris 2024, expressed concerns about allowing Khelif and Yu-ting to compete.
“I don’t agree with it,” she said, as reported by The Telegraph. “I really hope the organizations get their act together.”
Despite the criticism, Mark Adams, a spokesman for the IOC, stands by the committee’s decision.
“These boxers are entirely eligible – they are women on their passports,” he stated.
“It’s not helpful to start stigmatising people like this. We all have a responsibility not to turn it into some kind of witch-hunt.”