Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, wins her maiden Olympic bout after opponent Angela Carini withdraws.

 In a quick but furious 46-second fight in the Paris arena, Angela Carini of Italy and Imane Khelif of Algeria traded some sharp blows. Carini found the meeting to be too much, and she chose to end the battle due to excruciating nose discomfort, which is uncommon in Olympic boxing.

Imane Khelif

Feeling overwhelmed, Carini declined to shake hands with Khelif following the fight. She subsequently gave an explanation for her choice, saying, "I felt a severe pain in my nose and, with the maturity of a boxer, I said 'enough' because I couldn't finish the match." She made it clear that her choice had nothing to do with Khelif's contentious attendance at the Olympics after she was disqualified from the 2023 world championships for failing a gender eligibility test. "I simply carried out my duties as a boxer," Carini stressed.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni consoled Carini after the match, expressing her support in an Instagram post. Meanwhile, Khelif, who won a silver medal at the 2022 world championships, received mixed reactions from the crowd, who were confused by the abrupt end of the bout. Italy’s coach, Emanuele Renzini, revealed that Carini had been determined to fight despite the pain she experienced early on.

Khelif's quarterfinal matchup is against Hungary's Anna Luca Hamori. Hamori said, "I'm not scared," indicating that he was not afraid to face Khelif. It will mean more to me if I prevail if she or he is a man.

The dispute involving Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting and Khelif has drawn a lot of attention to the Paris Olympic Games. Gender eligibility checks had previously resulted in both athletes' disqualification from competition. In order to ensure female equity in Olympic boxing, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has defended their right to compete.

Imane Khelif

Another layer of controversy is added by the IOC's continuing disagreement with the International Boxing Association (IBA) regarding eligibility and governance regulations. The IBA, which has encountered several problems such as lack of openness and corruption, keeps contesting the IOC's rulings.

The controversy surrounding gender eligibility and the future of Olympic boxing governance rages on as Khelif moves further in the competition.

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