Paris 2024 controversy: Fans divided over Italy's Angela Carini's claims about Algerian boxer Imane Khelif; 'biological male or female' sparks debate
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan were both athletes allowed to compete in women's boxing at Paris 2024, despite being excluded from last year's Women's World Championships.
Updated : August 02, 2024 03:22 PM ISTAlgerian boxer Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan were both athletes allowed to compete in women's boxing at Paris 2024, despite being excluded from last year's Women's World Championships.
Italy's Angela Carini (Blue) and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif (Red)
Having received a bye in the first round at the Olympics, 25-year-old Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who also competed at the Tokyo Games, entered Arena Paris Nord on Thursday to much applause from many of her countrymen in the crowd. However, her opponent, Italy's Angela Carini, abandoned her Olympic bout against Khelif after just 46 seconds, saying, "I had to preserve my life." Soon after this incident in Paris 2024, many celebrities expressed support for the Italian boxer, questioning how the Olympics allowed such a situation to occur.
What happened in the 46-second bout?
After being punched in the face within the first 30 seconds, Carini hurried to her corner to have her coach adjust her headgear. After briefly restarting the fight, she retreated to her corner and decided to halt the game. Just before the referee raised Khelif's arm in victory, Carini was seen on camera exclaiming, "It's not right."
Try not to cry… Angela Carini talks about competing in the Olympics for her late father.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 1, 2024
She just quit her boxing match after being forced to compete against a man.
Allowing men in women’s competitions is evil. Democrats support it.pic.twitter.com/djpbkNhq63
But why is the whole issue over Algerian boxer Imane Khelif?
Khelif is one of two athletes allowed to compete in women's boxing at Paris 2024, despite being excluded from last year's Women's World Championships for not meeting eligibility requirements. Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, who lost a bronze medal at the same championships after failing a gender eligibility test, will also participate in Paris on Friday.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which oversees boxing in Paris in 2024 but did not arrange the World Championships, said that Khelif was disqualified in India due to elevated testosterone levels. A gender eligibility test revealed that she had XY chromosomes, which are normally associated with males, while most women have XX. Interestingly, Khelif has only lost nine fights in her 50-fight career.
Today, Angela Carini had her Olympics dreams shattered by Imane Khelif, a male boxer.
— Hazel Appleyard (@HazelAppleyard_) August 1, 2024
It is suspected that he BROKE HER NOSE.
Don’t let this pass quietly. MEN SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BEAT WOMEN FOR SPORT.
SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS. https://t.co/i5GMdgWrwb
Fans divided over biological male or female debate:
Many celebrities quickly came out in support of Angela Carini, criticizing the IOC's judgment and even labelling Imane Khelif as "biologically male" and "transgender". However, Imane Khelif, who has received a lot of criticism on social media, including from novelist JK Rowling and tech billionaire Elon Musk, does not identify as trans or intersex.
Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better? The smirk of a male who’s knows he’s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head, and whose life’s ambition he’s just shattered. #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/Q5SbKiksXQ
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 1, 2024
Absolutely https://t.co/twccUEOW9e
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 1, 2024
To Angela Carini although your dreams couldn’t come true today because of the crazy agendas that are at play in our world at the moment, I would love to offer you to fight on an MVP undercard, to show the world your talents on a fair platform and not against a man.
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) August 1, 2024
Internet…
The development has sparked a controversy about athletes with Differences of Sexual Development (DSD) competing in women's events. However, many fans embrace the Algerian fighter, claiming that having different chromosomes does not make her any less of a woman. All the discussion on X (formerly known as Twitter) has grabbed attention worldwide.
Isn’t it interesting how at the 2020 Olympics, when Imane Khelif lost to Kellie Harrington 🇮🇪 in the quarterfinals, literally no one accused her of being a man?
— Algeria FC (@Algeria_FC) August 1, 2024
It’s almost as if brain dead right wing morons will hope on any conspiracy theory train pic.twitter.com/jH290S4L4K
Michael Phelps had wild arms that gave him an advantage. He's considered the greatest of all time.
— Chelsie🏳️🌈 (@chelsieomfg) August 1, 2024
Men are allowed to be biologically gifted, and women are, in turn, called men.
Imane Khelif is a cisgender woman.
— Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte (@turnbulldugarte) August 1, 2024
She was born female, was registered as a girl at birth, is legally a woman, & continues to identify as a woman.
Is transphobia now so bad that even cisgender women cannot be women if they don’t comply with a certain woman ideal-? pic.twitter.com/o5XPa6tPyN
Imane Khelif
— Alexander 🇵🇸🕊️🏴 (@AlexanderBSNP) August 1, 2024
Dutee Chand
Caster Semenya
Annet Negesa
Anyone noticing a common thread amongst the female athletes who have been falsely subjected to Transphobic attacks and allegations? pic.twitter.com/RlTlcfHCq7
Imane Khelif is a female-born woman fighter, she’s perfectly eligible to compete in women’s sports from a gender point of view
— 𝙁𝙎 🇵🇸 (@Fs_FTBL) August 1, 2024
She’s born a female, please do not belittle her achievement as a woman and call her a man. It’s not right. This mass misinformation needs to stop. https://t.co/FSQOpxMQJG pic.twitter.com/Ft4kEz4Mxr
Khelif will return to the boxing ring on Saturday to compete in the light welterweight quarterfinals. This time, she'll face Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary.