An Australian women’s group has spoken out following a controversial boxing match at the Paris Olympics which saw a woman forced to drop out of the competition after being dealt blows by an opponent who previously failed gender eligibility tests.
Italy’s Angela Carini suffered a significant strike to her nose and chin before declaring an end to the match after just 46 seconds.
Carini’s rival, Algerian athlete Imane Khelif, was noticeably taller and more muscular than the Italian woman.
Khelif had previously failed two gender eligibility tests in March 2023, and was banned by the International Boxing Association from competing against women.
Carini said she quit to save her life, describing the hits as an experience she had never encountered before.
The incident has triggered worldwide discussion on the inclusion of certain athletes in women’s sports, particularly contact sports, where concerns about safety are prominent.
Women’s Forum Australia CEO Rachael Wong criticised the situation, stating there was an imbalance in the competition.
“The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is not fit for purpose,” she told The Epoch Times.
“It has shown a flagrant disregard for women’s safety and has abandoned all sense of fairness, the bedrock of competitive sport.”
On social media, Wong said it was time to think about what needed to be done to change in order to make sport fairer.
“I think we’re in a place now where women might just have to start boycotting these sports, but it really shouldn’t be up to them because why should they have to sacrifice all the hard work they’ve put in?” she said.
Other prominent female figures have also spoken out in the wake of the match, including Italy’s prime minister and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.
Rowling took to X to discuss her concerns and grave fears for female athletes.
Rowling termed the incident as a “brutal injustice” for Carini, who she believes had her life’s dreams ripped away from her.
International Olympic Committee Says Media Reports Misleading
In response, the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit and IOC issued a statement affirming the right to practice sport at the Olympics without discrimination.They clarified that gender classification is based on passports and compliance with entry regulations.
The statement defended the inclusion of Khelif and another athlete, Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, in the games, accusing the media of running misleading reports on them being banned from other competitions.
“The two athletes have been competing in international boxing competitions for many years in the women’s category, including the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championships, and IBA-sanctioned tournaments,” the statement said.
“These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA. Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process.”
Boxing Association Distances Itself From Olympic Committee
The IBA has distanced itself from the Olympic committee’s decision to allow the athletes to compete.“This decision, made after a meticulous review, was extremely important and necessary to uphold the level of fairness and utmost integrity of the competition,” they said.
“Point to note, the athletes did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognized test, whereby the specifics remain confidential. This test conclusively indicated that both athletes did not meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors.”
The IBA said it was concerned with the “inconsistent application” of eligibility criteria by those involved in the Olympics.
“The IOC’s differing regulations on these matters, in which IBA is not involved, raise serious questions about both competitive fairness and athletes’ safety,” it said, while urging interested parties to seek answers from the IOC.”
