Angela Carini, the Italian boxer cried after getting beat by her Algerian opponent, has issued an apology after her tears sparked an international gender debate.
via People:
Angela Carini bowed out of her match against Imane Khelif after 46 seconds on Thursday, Aug. 1. Carini, 25, told the Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport that she feels “sorry” for the discussion it sparked about Khelif’s gender.
Carini’s quick defeat caused many to question whether Khelif, 25, should have been eligible to compete at the Olympics after being disqualified from the 2023 boxing world championships due to failing an unspecified gender eligibility test, which the International Boxing Association (IBA) claimed showed elevated levels of testosterone.
“All this controversy certainly made me sad, and I also felt sorry for my opponent, she had nothing to do with it and like me was only here to fight,” Carini told Gazzetta dello Sport, per The Athletic.
The boxer also clarified why she didn’t shake Khelif’s hand after the match.
“It was not intentional, in fact I apologize to her and to everyone. I was angry, because my Games had already gone up in smoke,” said Carini. “I have nothing against Khelif and on the contrary if I happened to meet her again I would give her a hug.”
When asked if she felt “manipulated” by those who are using her defeat to argue about gender issues, she told the outlet that it was a question she didn’t want to answer.
“I imagine that many people supported me because like me they believed in my Olympic dream, in my desire to win a medal for Dad, who is no longer with us. That’s all,” Carini told Gazzetta dello Sport, per The Athletic.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU) issued a joint press release expressing that “all athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations.”According to their statement, “as with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport.”
The press release also notes that the athletes “have been competing in international boxing competitions for many years in the women’s category, including the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championships and IBA-sanctioned tournaments.”
We hope Imane sues everyone who intentionally spread misinformation regarding her gender.
