Italian boxer Angela Carini came to the Paris Olympics hoping to win a medal in honor of her late father and coach, who passed away shortly after she competed in the Tokyo Games three years ago.
However, Carini’s performance in Paris was cut short just 46 seconds into her bout against Algerian opponent Imane Khelif. She abandoned the fight with a spot of blood on her trunks.
Although Carini stated she wasn’t making a political statement about Khelif, who was disqualified from last year’s world championships after failing an unspecified gender eligibility test, her actions reignited debate surrounding the situation.
Who is Angela Carini?
The 25-year-old Carini competes in the 66-kilogram (145.5-pound) class, also known as welterweight. She secured silver medals at both the world and European championships in 2019.
She also claimed a gold medal at the European youth championships. Unfortunately, she lost her opening fight in Tokyo.
Carini’s nickname, “tiger,” was bestowed upon her by her father, Giuseppe.
What’s her background?
Carini was an Italian champion in clay pigeon shooting before transitioning to boxing. She made the switch to follow her brother, who also left shooting for boxing.
“My brother and my father taught me boxing,” Carini said. “I owe everything to them.”
What happened in her fight against Khelif?
Carini exchanged a few quick punches before abruptly withdrawing from the bout – a highly unusual occurrence in Olympic boxing. Notably, Carini didn’t shake Khelif’s hand after the referee formally declared her the winner. She was seen crying in the ring after falling to her knees.
Her actions sparked discussions far beyond Paris, questioning whether Khelif should have been allowed to compete after failing an unspecified gender eligibility test from the now-banned International Boxing Association. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni raised the issue with IOC president Thomas Bach during a meeting in Paris on Friday.
The IOC has repeatedly defended Khelif’s right to participate in the competition this week.
“Despite our requests to have certainties and guarantees, both for the safety of our athlete and for the regularity of the competition, they’ve confirmed that (Khelif) is within these parameters,” Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò said.
Why did she quit?
Afterward, a still-tearful Carini explained that she quit due to the pain she experienced from Khelif’s initial punches, adding that she bled from her nose afterward.
“My face and nose were hurting,” Carini said, as reported by the Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport. “I couldn’t breathe anymore. I thought about my family, I looked at my brother in the stands and I went to my corner to retire. … I’ve never been hit with such a powerful punch.”
Carini emphasized that her decision wasn’t pre-meditated.
“All this controversy makes me sad,” Carini said. “I’m sorry for my opponent, too. … If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.”
Carini expressed regret for not shaking Khelif’s hand after the bout.
“It wasn’t something I intended to do,” Carini said. “Actually, I want to apologize to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke. I don’t have anything against Khelif. Actually, if I were to meet her again I would embrace her.”