A female boxer’s Olympic defeat ignites controversy, prompting a nationwide debate on transgender participation in sports.
The inclusion of a “biological male” in a women’s boxing match at the Paris Olympics has sparked global criticism and raised concerns about fairness.
In the welterweight (66kg) category on Thursday, Angela Carini of Italy went against Imani Khelif from Algeria. However, her fight was over in a mere 45 seconds as she received two strong punches to the face. Overwhelmed with emotion, Carini removed her helmet and abandoned the match while crying out “this is unfair!”
Khelif failed gender eligibility tests and was disqualified from the women’s world championships last year.
As the referee announced Khelif as the victor, Carini snatched her hand back and collapsed onto her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
After the match, she stated that despite being accustomed to enduring pain, the blow was too powerful for her to continue.
Critics of transgenderism worldwide have expressed their solidarity with Carini by condemning Khelif as a biological man and opposing the match for being unjust.
Jake Paul, a professional boxer who transitioned from YouTuber, stated that regardless of one’s beliefs, this is wrong and hazardous – it sickens him and constitutes a calamity.
According to J.K. Rowling, a male’s presence in the ring has cost a young female boxer all of her hard work and training; thus staining the 2024 Olympics with an unjust act towards Carini forever.
The swimmer from the United States who attends college, Riley Gaines, initiated a hashtag on X (once known as Twitter) called “I stand with Angela Carini,” which was supported by Elon Musk – the owner of the platform.
On Thursday, Mark Adams, the spokesperson for IOC reassured that none of the contestants violate the eligibility regulations. Additionally, he emphasized that there is no connection between this and transgender matters.
In 2023, Khelif was barred from boxing by the International Boxing Association (IBA) based on gender classification. However, despite initiating an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Khelif withdrew during proceedings according to IBA reports released Wednesday. The association has contested recent decisions made by the IOC allowing participation in Paris events and argues that such rulings “pose a significant threat to both fair competition and athlete safety.”
According to their passports, the IOC has determined that Khelif and Lin Tu-ting, a boxer from Chinese Taipei, are both women. The IBA was also removed from participation in the Paris games due in part to its association with Russia.
Algeria’s stance is that Khelif is not transgender, but rather a woman who experiences hyperandrogenism. This condition entails high levels of testosterone and the presence of XY chromosomes.
On Wednesday, the Algerian Olympic Committee stated its condemnation of certain foreign media outlets for spreading baseless propaganda that unjustly targets and defames their esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif.
Criticism has been aimed at the Paris Olympics for their controversial opening ceremony last Friday. The performance featured portrayals of homosexuals, transsexuals and drag queens participating in a Bacchanalian celebration inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s renowned mural “The Last Supper.”
