Khelif, one of two athletes cleared to compete in women's boxing after being disqualified from last year's World Championships for not meeting gender eligibility criteria, was allowed to compete in Paris under the International Olympic Committee ruling
The International Boxing Association (IBA), the organiser of the World Championships, stated at the time that athletes who “pretended to be women” were excluded based on tests that showed “they have XY chromosomes.” The IOC also claims the Algerian boxer has elevated levels of testosterone.
During today's match, Khelif landed two punches against Carini, and due to a busted nose, the fight ended at the Italian's request.
Speaking in Italian afterward, Carini admitted she had "never felt a punch like it." She said she was there to "honour her father and represent her country" but felt "heartbroken." After the second punch, she "couldn't breathe anymore" and told her coach, "Enough," explaining that it took maturity and courage to stop, as she no longer felt like fighting.
The incident has once again sparked a firestorm online, with some defending the decision to allow Khelif to box, while others have labelled it a disgrace.
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling said, "Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better? The smirk of a male who 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."
Another person commented, "If you had told people 10 years ago that biological men would be punching women in the face in Olympic boxing, no one would have believed you. The slippery slope is real. Lunatic leftism and trans insanity never stop. Leftists never will."
However, some have highlighted that Khelif has been beaten by the likes of Kellie Harrington and eight other female fighters in the past, a fact that goes against the transgender issue.
Boxing sensation Amy Broadhurst weighed in on the matter, saying, "I have a lot of people texting me about Imane Khelif. Personally, I don’t think she has done anything to ‘cheat.’ I think it’s the way she was born, and that’s out of her control. The fact that she has been beaten by nine females before says it all."
Boxing pundit Steve Bunce agreed with Broadhurst's assessment, simply saying, "Well said."
The saga seems likely to continue.
