The Paris Olympics 2024 has been a successful event so far. But on Thursday something unusual happened. Italian boxer, Angela Carini burst into tears after abandoning her bout against Algerian Imane Khelif after 46 seconds in a contest that created a controversy at the Olympics. The latter is one of the two boxers permitted to fight at the Olympics despite being disqualified from the women’s world championships last year for failing gender eligibility tests.
Previously in the same tournament, Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting was also disqualified for failing to meet the gender eligibility criteria of the International Boxing Association (IBA). She is going to compete on Friday 2nd August. In case she wins her match there will be yet another controversy along with the one that is already going on. The IBA did not explain why the boxers failed their gender eligibility tests. But did state that neither had testosterone tests.
IOC allowed Imane Khelif despite failing tests
Neither Khelif, 25, nor two-time world champion Lin, 28, identify as transgender or intersex. This will be the talk of the town for a very long time and there will be some chaos coming the way of the Algerian fighter over the gender issues. In extremely tense scenes at the North Paris Arena, Khelif’s first blow dislodged Carini’s chinstrap.
While the second slammed against her chin and ruined her shorts. After many punches, Carini went to her corner and raised her hand. She collapsed to her knees in tears and refused to shake Khelif’s hand when the Algerian was announced as the winner.
Why do the Olympics allow such fighters to take part in the mega event? The International Olympic Committee (IOC) needs to verify the athletes’ gender eligibility test. The IBA, which is not recognised by the International Olympic Committee. It has stated that the details of the test are confidential. The IOC stood by Khelif’s inclusion. They are in for of the inclusion of the boxer. Previously when the boxer lost to Kellie Harrington in the quarter-finals nobody questioned the gender.
