Italian boxer quits Olympic bout after just 46 seconds against athlete who failed ‘gender test’

The highly contentious Olympic boxing match between Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Italy’s Angela Carini came to an abrupt end after just 46 seconds when Carini suffered a suspected broken nose.

Khelif, who failed a testosterone test at last year’s World Championships, was allowed to compete despite being banned from a gold-medal bout in Delhi by the International Boxing Association.

The IBA cited Khelif’s failure of biochemical tests in two consecutive years.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is now facing mounting pressure to explain its decision to allow Khelif’s participation, given the uncertainty surrounding her sex classification.

In an unprecedented intervention, Reem Alsalem, the UN’s special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, wrote on Twitter: “Angela Carini rightly followed her instincts and prioritized her physical safety, but she and other female athletes should not have been exposed to this physical and psychological violence based on their sex.”

Speaking after the bout, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni said: “I have been trying to explain for years that, when taken to the extreme, some theses risk impacting women’s rights.

“I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women’s competitions. “Not because we want to discriminate against anyone, but in order to protect the right of female athletes to be able to compete on equal terms.”

The bout’s swift conclusion came when Carini took a powerful punch to the face, immediately retreating to her corner and signaling she could not continue.

The controversial match’s brief moments were marked by Khelif’s dominance.

She landed a powerful right hand early on, followed by a near-flurry of punches. At the 35-second mark, Carini signaled for a pause, having her headgear checked while briefly conferring with her coaches.

Upon summarizing, Carini was immediately struck by another right hand from Khelif. Within seconds, the Italian boxer raised his glove once more, signaling his withdrawal from the contest.

Following the bout’s conclusion, Carini fell to her knees, visibly distraught. The referee officially declared Khelif the winner, raising the Algerian’s hand.

Khelif attempted to console his opponent, approaching Carini twice for an embrace, but was rebuffed. Both fighters then exited the ring separately.