Boxing

FUMING Barry McGuigan told Olympic chiefs to “hang your heads in shame” after a boxer who failed a gender test battered her opponent.Italian Angela Carini, 25, quit her last-16 welterweight bout with “biological male” Imane Khelif after 46 SECONDS, insisting: “I had to safeguard my life.”Imane Khelif’s participation in the Paris 2024 Games has divided opinionCredit: GettyThe Algerian, who pummeled opponent Angela Carini, had previously failed a gender testCredit: GettyCarini abandoned the bout after a mere 46 seconds to protect herselfCredit: EPABarry McGuigan has blasted the IOC for allowing Imane Khelif to competeCredit: WILLIE VASSCarini sobbed in the ring and snubbed a handshake with Algerian Khelif, who had been disqualified from the Women’s World Championships 18 months ago and accused of “pretending to be a woman”.Former world featherweight champ McGuigan, 63, blasted: “Shocking, dangerous and profoundly unfair on women and girls.“IOC, hang your head in shame.”Olympic silver medallist swimmer Sharron Davies, 61, added: “The IOC are negligent in their duty of care to female boxers.READ MORE OLYMPICS NEWS“This is a biological male fighting a female and everyone can see it.“There is no ambiguity that the IOC do not care if a female gets seriously hurt. Or worse.”Khelif, 25, and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-ting, 28, who competes today, were both booted out of the World Championships in New Delhi in March 2023.The International Boxing Association claimed tests showed they have male XY chromosomes and raised levels of testosterone.Most read in BoxingOlympics gender controversyTHE International Olympic Committee (IOC) stirred up a huge controversy by clearing two women to box who had previously failed a gender test.Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting were disqualified at the Women’s World Championships in New Delhi, India, in March 2023.Lin Yu-ting was stripped of a bronze medal after failing a gender eligibility test.Khelif was disqualified in New Delhi for failing a testosterone level test.Officials found tests showed they had ‘XY chromosomes’ — which indicates a person is biologically male.Rare ‘intersex’ medical conditions, medically known as differences in sexual development (DSDs), can also mean outwardly female individuals can have ‘male’ chromosomes, or vice versa.The Russia-led International Boxing Association organised that event but is no longer recognised by the IOC.IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: “These athletes have competed many times before for many years, they haven’t just suddenly arrived – they competed in Tokyo.”The federation needs to make the rules to make sure that there is fairness but at the same time there is the ability for everyone to take part that wants to. That is a difficult balance.”In the end the experts for each sport are the people who work in that. If there is a big advantage that clearly is not acceptable, but that needs to be a decision made at that level.”Both Khelif and Lin competed at the delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. Lin is a two-time winner at the Asian Women Amateur Boxing Championships.The IOC said all boxers in Paris “comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations”.The controversy follows the famous case of Caster Semenya.South African middle-distance runner Semenya has a condition which means her body naturally produces higher levels of testosterone than normal for women.She won gold in the 800m at London 2012 and Rio in 2016 but was unable to compete at Tokyo in 2021 after World Athletics brought in new rules independently of the IOC at the time.But, allowed to compete at the Olympics, Khelif pummeled Carini for 46 seconds, smashing her nose, before the Italian threw in the towel.A crying Carini, who was told by friends, family and the Italian government not to step into the ring, said: “It hurt so much.Olympics gender row erupts after female boxer quits against fighter disqualified from World Champs”I am heartbroken because I am a warrior but I couldn’t fight any more. I have never felt a punch like this.”Khelif faces Anna Luca Hamori in tomorrow’s quarter-finals. But the Hungarian, 23, roared: “I will win.”I’m not scared. If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me.”The IOC hit back by threatening to dump boxing out of the next Olympics if it does not get its house in order — and insisted eligibility rules will not be changed in Paris.They said: “All athletes participating in this Paris boxing tournament comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations.”The gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport.”IOC and Paris 2024 Boxing Unit statement in fullA look at the full statement issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit…Every person has the right to practise sport without discrimination.All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU). As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport.These rules also applied during the qualification period, including the boxing tournaments of the 2023 European Games, Asian Games, Pan American Games and Pacific Games, the ad hoc 2023 African qualifying tournament in Dakar (SEN) and two world qualifying tournaments held in Busto Arsizio (ITA) and Bangkok (THA) in 2024, which involved a total of 1,471 different boxers from 172 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the Boxing Refugee Team and Individual Neutral Athletes, and featured over 2,000 qualification bouts.The PBU used the Tokyo 2020 boxing rules as a baseline to develop its regulations for Paris 2024. This was to minimise the impact on athletes’ preparations and guarantee consistency between Olympic Games. These Tokyo 2020 rules were based on the post-Rio 2016 rules, which were in place before the suspension of the boxing International Federation by the IOC in 2019 and the subsequent withdrawal of its recognition in 2023.We have seen in reports misleading information about two female athletes competing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. 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.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.According to the IBA minutes available on their website, this decision was initially taken solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO. The IBA Board only ratified it afterwards and only subsequently requested that a procedure to follow in similar cases in the future be established and reflected in the IBA Regulations. The minutes also say that the IBA should “establish a clear procedure on gender testing”.The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure – especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years.Such an approach is contrary to good governance.Eligibility rules should not be changed during ongoing competition, and any rule change must follow appropriate processes and should be based on scientific evidence.The IOC is committed to protecting the human rights of all athletes participating in the Olympic Games as per the Olympic Charter, the IOC Code of Ethics and the IOC Strategic Framework on Human Rights. The IOC is saddened by the abuse that the two athletes are currently receiving.The IBA’s recognition was withdrawn by the IOC in 2023 following its suspension in 2019. The withdrawal of recognition was confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). See the IOC’s statement following the ruling.The IOC has made it clear that it needs National Boxing Federations to reach a consensus around a new International Federation in order for boxing to be included on the sports programme of the Olympic Games LA28. More

ANGELA CARINI’s feared for her life as she quit her controversial fight against Imane Khelif.The Italian fought her opponent, who previously failed a gender test, for just 46 seconds before throwing in the towel.Angela Carini was in tears as she revealed why she quitCredit: TwitterImane Khelif landed two powerful punches in the opening roundCredit: AFPCarini fell to her knees and cried as the result was confirmedCredit: APCarini, 25, was hit twice in the face in round one and after the first blow she walked over to her corner to seemingly have her chin strap adjusted.But after Khelif, 25, landed a second powerful blow, the fight was abruptly ended.Carini then refused to acknowledge and shake hands with the Algerian after the referee announced the winner of the 66kg welterweight bout.She then fell to her knees and began to cry.READ MORE ON OLYMPICSKhelif’s presence at the Olympics has been deemed controversial as she was disqualified from last year’s Women’s World Championships for failing to meet eligibility criteria.The International Olympic Committee said Khelif was disqualified in New Delhi for failing a testosterone level test.She is one of two athletes cleared to compete in Paris along with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who was stripped of a bronze medal at the World Champs for failing a gender eligibility test.Opening up on her decision to quit, Carini said: “I couldn’t carry on. I have a big pain in my nose and I said, ‘Stop’. Most read in Boxing”It’s better to avoid keeping going. My nose started dripping from the first hit.”It could be the match of my life but, in that moment, I had to safeguard my life, too. I felt to do this, I didn’t have any fear, I don’t have any fear of the ring or to get hit.Paris 2024 Olympics locked in cheating storm as swimming coach slams world record as ‘not humanly possible'”I fought very often in the national team. I train with my brother. I’ve always fought against men, but I felt too much pain today.”“I am heartbroken. I have big pain in my nose and blood on my finger.”She added: “I’m used to suffering. I’ve never taken a punch like that, it’s impossible to continue. I’m nobody to say it’s illegal.”I got into the ring to fight. But I didn’t feel like it anymore after the first minute. I started to feel a strong pain in my nose.”I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much and so I said enough. I’m leaving with my head held high.”I am sorry not to have taken Italy onto the podium. I entered the ring and I told myself I have to take out all of myself independently from the person I had in front of me.”And honestly, I don’t care. I said to myself, ‘This is my Olympics’. Independently, from all controversy, I just wanted to carry on and win.'”I am not one that easily surrenders. Even if they told me, let’s not fight, I would not have accepted it.”I am a fighter. My father taught me to be a warrior. “When I am in the ring, I use that mindset, the mindset of a warrior, a winning mindset. This time I couldn’t make it.”You all saw my nose that started bleeding. I didn’t lose tonight, I just surrendered with maturity.”Carini bears no ill will towards Khelif, saying: “I wish her to carry on until the end and that she can be happy. Olympics gender controversyTHE International Olympic Committee (IOC) stirred up a huge controversy by clearing two women to box who had previously failed a gender test.Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting were disqualified at the Women’s World Championships in New Delhi, India, in March 2023.Lin Yu-ting was stripped of a bronze medal after failing a gender eligibility test.Khelif was disqualified in New Delhi for failing a testosterone level test.Officials found tests showed they had ‘XY chromosomes’ — which indicates a person is biologically male.Rare ‘intersex’ medical conditions, medically known as differences in sexual development (DSDs), can also mean outwardly female individuals can have ‘male’ chromosomes, or vice versa.The Russia-led International Boxing Association organised that event but is no longer recognised by the IOC.IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: “These athletes have competed many times before for many years, they haven’t just suddenly arrived – they competed in Tokyo.”The federation needs to make the rules to make sure that there is fairness but at the same time there is the ability for everyone to take part that wants to. That is a difficult balance.”In the end the experts for each sport are the people who work in that. If there is a big advantage that clearly is not acceptable, but that needs to be a decision made at that level.”Both Khelif and Lin competed at the delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. Lin is a two-time winner at the Asian Women Amateur Boxing Championships.The IOC said all boxers in Paris “comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations”.The controversy follows the famous case of Caster Semenya.South African middle-distance runner Semenya has a condition which means her body naturally produces higher levels of testosterone than normal for women.She won gold in the 800m at London 2012 and Rio in 2016 but was unable to compete at Tokyo in 2021 after World Athletics brought in new rules independently of the IOC at the time.”I am someone who doesn’t judge anyone. I am not here to give judgements.”I simply entered the ring to fight and to fight for my dream. It didn’t happen. Evidently, God and my father wanted this and I accept it.”I am not in the position of saying this is right or wrong. I am not. “I did my job as a boxer, entering the ring and fighting. “I didn’t manage to, but I am exiting with my head held high and with a broken heart. I am a mature woman, the ring is my life. “I’ve always been very instinctive, but when I feel something is not going well, it’s not a surrender but having the maturity to stop.”After booking passage to the next round, Khelif said: “God willing, this was the first victory. “God is willing me to the golden one. Khelif later added added: “Difficult for a first fight.”Inshallah [if Allah wills it]) for the second fight. I am very prepared because it’s been eight years of preparation.”It’s my second Olympic Games after fifth place at Tokyo. ‘I need an Olympic medal here in Paris.READ MORE SUN STORIES”We will see who will win the second fight to know who will be the opponent.”We will be ready and we will do everything to bring back a medal for Algeria. One, two, three, viva Algeria.” More