Olympics 2024: Knocked Out in 46 Seconds

By Mohd. Sahil Khan 6 Minutes Read

Italian boxer Angela Carini was emotionally overcome after abruptly ending her match against Algeria’s Imane Khelif 46 seconds into the contest. The highly controversial fight sparked widespread debate among spectators and analysts alike.

A boxing match typically consists of three rounds, each lasting three minutes. However, in a stunning upset, the Algerian boxer knocked out Carini in a mere 46 seconds with two powerful punches. The Italian fighter was incapacitated after a blow to the nose caused heavy bleeding.

Angela Carini on the Left and Imane Khelif on the Right.

All about controversy

• Two boxers have failed the gender eligibility test, yet they were made eligible by the IOC to compete in the Paris Olympics 2024.
  
• One of them was Algeria’s Imane Khelif who was barred from competing in the gold medal match at the Women’s World Championships in Delhi just hours before it was scheduled to begin. It was reported that she had high levels of testosterone.
  
• Lin Yu-ting, Taiwan’s two-time world champion, also suffered the same fate. She was disqualified from the competition and stripped of her bronze medal due to failing to meet the required standards.
  
• As per Amateur Boxing President Umar Kremlev, “DNA tests of two boxers proved they have XY chromosomes and were thus excluded.” XY chromosomes indicate male characteristics.

Player’s viewpoint

• Angela Carini was heartbroken, “After the second punch, after years of experience, I felt a strong pain in the nose. I said enough, because I didn’t want. I couldn’t finish the fight after the punch to the nose. So it was better to put an end to it.” she said.
  
• Carini also said that it was not her job to judge whether the Algerian boxer should have been allowed in the competition or not.
  
• Khelif on the other hand, made her intention clear that she is competing for the gold medal. She further proclaimed that she was willing to fight all of them to achieve the gold medal.

IOC’s stance

• IOC did not recognize the World Championships which were organized by the International Boxing Agency (IBA) owing to issues in financial transparency.
  
• The source of prize money of IBA was not determinable, hence IOC withdrew its recognition.
  
• Mark Adams, who is the IOC’s spokesman stated “Everyone competing in the women’s category is complying with competition eligibility rules. They are women in their passports and it’s stated in there that they are female.”

Public perception

• The issue has reignited the flames of ‘gender identity’. People have labelled it as an uneven playing field.
  
• Italy’s Prime Minister Georgia Meloni expressed that the fight was “not on an equal footing”.
  
• Furthermore, she has expressed her disappointment in strong words “I think athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women’s competitions. And not because you want to discriminate against someone, but to protect the right of female athletes to be able to compete on equal terms.”
  
• The Harry Potter’s author, J.K. Rowling, expressed his resentment by stating “Explain why you’re OK with a man beating a woman in public for your entertainment.”
  
• Reema Alsalem, UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls took to the X platform and stated, “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.”

The controversy surrounding this match has ignited a broader debate about fairness, gender, and the integrity of women’s sports, with far-reaching implications for future competitions.

Mohd. Sahil Khan