The strange case of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif

The bizarre case of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who won her first Olympic boxing match on Thursday has called for reflection in the boxing world.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif defeated her opponent, Italian Angela Carini, who quit after 46 seconds.

It should be recalled that Algerian boxer Imane Khelif Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing an unspecified gender eligibility test, and her presence at the Paris Olympics has become a divisive issue.

Carini and Khelif exchanged only a few punches before Carini walked away and abandoned the bout, an extremely unusual occurrence in Olympic boxing.

Carini’s helmet apparently came loose at least once before he quit. Carini did not shake Khelif’s hand after the decision was announced, but instead cried on his knees in the ring.

Afterward, a still-sore Carini said he quit because of the intense pain he felt in his nose after the first few punches.

Carini, who had a bloodstain on his suit, said he was not making a political statement and was not refusing to fight Khelif.

Carini further said she is not qualified to decide whether Khelif should be allowed to compete, but that she had no problem fighting her.

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The strange case of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is an accomplished amateur boxer who won a silver medal at the 2022 International Boxing Association (IBA) world championships.

But the same governing body disqualified her from last year’s championships shortly before her gold medal bout due to what it claimed were elevated testosterone levels.

The 25-year-old stepped into the ring at the North Paris Arena to cheers, but the crowd was confused by the sudden end to the bout.

Khelif, who will fight again on Saturday, did not speak to the media.

Both Algerian boxer Imane Khelif Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan have suddenly received massive scrutiny for their presence in Paris after years of amateur competition.

Lin won the 2018 and 2022 IBA world championships, but the governing body stripped her of a bronze medal last year because it claimed she failed to meet unspecified eligibility requirements in a biochemical test.

Lin begins her Paris journey on Friday, fighting Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova in her opening bout after receiving a first-round bye.

The Algerian Olympic Committee issued a statement Wednesday condemning what it called “lies” and “unethical attack and defamation of our esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif, with unfounded propaganda from certain foreign media.”