Italian boxer Angela Carini got here to the 2024 Paris Olympics aiming for a medal to honor her late father and coach, who died shortly after she participated within the Tokyo Video games three years in the past.
However Carini’s efficiency in Paris lasted simply 46 seconds Thursday earlier than she deserted her bout in opposition to Algerian opponent Imane Khelif, with a spot of blood on her trunks.
Although Carini mentioned she wasn’t making a political assertion about Khelif, who was disqualified from final 12 months’s world championships after failing an unspecified gender eligibility check, the transfer reopened debate about Khelif’s standing.
Who’s Angela Carini?
The 25-year-old Carini competes within the 66-kilogram (145.5-pound) class, in any other case often known as welterweight. She received silver medals at each the world and European championships in 2019.
She was additionally a gold medalist on the European youth championships. She misplaced her opening battle in Tokyo.
Carini’s nickname, “tiger,” was given to her by her father, Giuseppe.
What’s her background?
Carini was an Italian champion in clay pigeon taking pictures earlier than she switched to boxing. She made the swap to observe her brother, who additionally left taking pictures for boxing.
“My brother and my father taught me boxing,” Carini mentioned. “I owe every little thing to them.”
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Who’s Imane Khelif?
Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing an unspecified gender eligibility check, and her presence on the Paris Olympics has change into a divisive concern.
Khelif is an achieved newbie who received a silver medal on the Worldwide Boxing Affiliation’s 2022 world championships. The identical governing physique disqualified her from final 12 months’s championships shortly earlier than her gold-medal match due to what it claimed have been elevated ranges of testosterone.
The 25-year-old entered the ring on the North Paris Enviornment to a refrain of cheers, however the crowd was confused by the bout’s sudden finish. Khelif, who fights once more Saturday, did not converse to reporters.
What occurred in Carini’s battle in opposition to Khelif?
Carini exchanged just a few brisk punches earlier than abandoning her bout — a particularly uncommon prevalence in Olympic boxing. Carini didn’t shake Khelif’s hand after the referee formally raised it. She cried within the ring after sinking to her knees.
Her actions sparked a dialogue far past Paris about whether or not Khelif ought to have been allowed to compete after failing an unspecified gender eligibility check from the now-banned Worldwide Boxing Affiliation. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni mentioned the problem with IOC president Thomas Bach throughout a gathering in Paris on Friday.
The IOC has repeatedly defended Khelf’s proper to compete this week.
“Regardless of our requests to have certainties and ensures, each for the protection of our athlete and for the regularity of the competitors, they’ve confirmed that (Khelif) is inside these parameters,” Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò mentioned.
Why did she stop?
Afterward, a still-tearful Carini mentioned she stop due to the ache from Khelif’s opening punches, including that her nostril bled afterward.
“My face and nostril have been hurting,” Carini mentioned, based on the Italian sports activities day by day Gazzetta dello Sport. “I couldn’t breathe anymore. I thought of my household, I checked out my brother within the stands and I went to my nook to retire. … I’ve by no means been hit with such a strong punch.”
Carini added that it wasn’t a pre-meditated transfer.
“All this controversy makes me unhappy,” Carini mentioned. “I’m sorry for my opponent, too. … If the IOC mentioned she will be able to battle, I respect that call.”
Carini was apologetic for not shaking Khelif’s hand after the bout.
“It wasn’t one thing I meant to do,” Carini mentioned. “Really, I need to apologize to her and everybody else. I used to be indignant as a result of my Olympics had gone up in smoke. I don’t have something in opposition to Khelif. Really, if I have been to fulfill her once more I’d embrace her.”
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