The Olympic welterweight boxing match between Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Italy’s Angela Carini has sparked widespread controversy and global outrage among high-profile figures, including former US President Donald Trump, tech billionaire Elon Musk, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The bout, which saw Khelif declared the winner after Carini surrendered just 46 seconds into the fight due to multiple punches to the face, has raised significant concerns regarding fairness and gender eligibility in sports. Prime Minister Meloni criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC), stating, “It is a fact that, with the levels of testosterone present in the blood of the Algerian athlete, the competition at the start does not seem fair. We must be careful not to discriminate in an attempt to avoid discrimination.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Trump and his running mate JD Vance took to social media to express their dissatisfaction. The IOC defended its decision, emphasizing that the two female boxers were facing “aggression” due to an arbitrary decision by the International Boxing Association (IBA). “These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA,” the IOC stated. “Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process.”
High-profile figures such as British author J.K. Rowling and entrepreneur Elon Musk have also voiced their opposition to the match, further fueling the controversy. Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer and advocate for women’s single-sex spaces, supported Carini on social media, declaring, “Men don’t belong in women’s sports #IStandWithAngelaCarini.”
Carini, 25, expressed her frustration and disappointment after the match. “This is unjust,” she said, while her coach, Emanuele Renzini, revealed that many had warned her against fighting Khelif, who had been previously disqualified from the 2023 World Championships due to gender eligibility issues. “Many people in Italy tried to call and tell her: ‘Don’t go please: it’s a man, it’s dangerous for you,’” Renzini told reporters.
Visibly upset, Carini described the intense pain she felt from Khelif’s punches. “I’ve never taken a punch like that. I started to feel a strong pain in my nose. I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much and so I said enough. I’m leaving with my head held high.” Gaines shared a poignant photo of Carini on her knees in the ring, calling the moment “heartbreaking.”
Logan Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer, condemned the match, labeling it “the purest form of evil.” He stated, “A man was allowed to beat up a woman on a global stage, crushing her life’s dream while fighting for her deceased father. This delusion must end.”
In response to the backlash, the IOC reaffirmed its eligibility framework, insisting that all athletes in the women’s category comply with the rules. Despite being disqualified from the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships last year due to elevated testosterone levels, Khelif was cleared to compete in Paris under IOC guidelines. The IOC’s updated policy on fairness and inclusion, established in 2021, allows each sport’s governing body to determine if an athlete has a disproportionate advantage.
As the debate continues, the Khelif-Carini bout has intensified the ongoing discussion about gender eligibility and fairness in women’s sports, highlighting the challenges faced by sports governing bodies in maintaining a level playing field.
