The highly anticipated meeting of eighths of final di boxing among the blue Angela Carini and the Algerian Imane Khelif, which was supposed to be an epic battle, was over in a flash, leaving the public and media speechless. After only 46 seconds the Italian athlete left the ring, complaining of unbearable pain. Thus, Khelif advances to the quarter-finals, while Carini's Olympic career stops in the round of 16. This flash withdrawal sparked a heated controversy: it was caused by a real pain or from one protest against participation di Khelif, at the center of controversy over his testosterone levels and condition intersex?
Meeting between Carini and Khelif: here's what happened
It all happened in a flash: after just 36 seconds, a initial shot it made Carini's helmet fly off. After a short break, the match resumed, but the Italian athlete suffered a second shot which caused her intense pain. Visibly tired, Carini declared to her corner "It hurts terribly" and decided to withdraw. His withdrawal led to Khelif's automatic victory. Immediately afterwards, Carini knelt in the ring in a sign of desperation, while Khelif tried to greet her, but received no response. The dramatic epilogue of the match only fueled a series of political controversies regarding the hormonal condition of the young Algerian boxer.
The version of Angela Carini and her coach
Angela cute she said: “I went into the ring with the intention of fighting, but a punch hurt too much and I decided to stop. I go out with my head held high." Still shaken, Carini underlined that she did not want to judge other people's decisions and that she accepted the challenge despite the controversy, specifying that the withdrawal was decided for the good of her family. If the meeting had been irregular, she would have added, “that's not for me to say.”
Emanuele Renzini, Italian boxing coach, rejected the insinuations of premeditation: “It would have been easier not to show up, given that all of Italy was asking us not to fight. But Angela was determined. Of course, at the draw you said 'that's not right', but there was no premeditation." Renzini explained that Carini decided to abandon her after a punch that prevented her from continuing. “I tried to convince her to complete at least the first take, but nothing.”
Khelif is not trans but intersex: what does this mean?
Imane Khelif, a 25-year-old Algerian boxer born in Tiaret, is one intersex woman, not a transgender person. The term “intersex” refers to individuals whose anatomy or genetics do not clearly align with traditional definitions of male or female. In Khelif's case, her condition is known as hyperandrogenism, which involves an above-average production of male hormones, such as testosterone. However, this does not imply that you are a person who has changed sex or has undertaken a gender transition journey.
Intersex people may exhibit a combination of male and female sexual traits due to variations genetic o natural hormones. Khelif, for example, has high testosterone levels due to a natural hypertrophy of the adrenal glands, which can be associated with conditions such aspolycystic ovary. These conditions, while resulting in a higher than average female testosterone level, are not the result of the use of doping substances, but of a natural variation in one's sexual development.
But how did the controversy arise? Imane Khelif had been excluded from the World Cup of New Delhi in 2023 because his testosterone levels exceeded the criteria for the female categories. However, unlike the World Cup, the International Olympic Committee ha licensed its Participation ai Paris Games 2024, also welcoming Taiwanese Lin Yu-ting, who was also excluded from the 2023 World Cup for the same reason.
The reactions
La Italian right immediately raised the case, accusing Khelif of being a “trans boxer” and denouncing alleged favoritism based on “woke ideology”. The Minister of the Family, Eugenia Roccella, spoke of "men who identify as women", while the president of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa, invited Carini to Palazzo Madama to express his support. Matteo Salvini harshly criticized the "shameful" match, accusing the sports officials of having allowed an unfair competition, and the undersecretary of Justice, Delmaster, attacked “gender Talibanism”, calling the match a “biological injustice”.
Here's what Giorgia Meloni said
Also the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni he expressed his disappointment: “I'm even more sorry, I was excited when Carini wrote 'I will fight'. In these situations, dedication and character count, but it is essential to compete on equal terms. From my point of view, it wasn't a fair race. Khelif's testosterone levels make the competition seem lopsided from the start.” Meloni also stressed that there were safety concerns and warned that trying not to discriminate could lead to discrimination against the athletes themselves. “I have been trying to explain for years that some theses taken to the extreme risk impacting especially on women's rights”.
Amid the controversy and accusations of favoritism, it's clear that the real challenge isn't just in the ring. While the right attacks Khelif without concrete evidence, the real goal should be to ensure fair competition, based on facts and regulations, not on prejudices ideological.
