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Angela Carini was warned not to fight Imane Khelif at Olympics: ‘It’s a man, it’s dangerous for you’

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Angela Carini was warned not to fight Imane Khelif at Olympics: ‘It’s a man, it’s dangerous for you’

Angela Carini, the Italian boxer who abruptly ended her Olympics welterweight bout against Algeria’s Imane Khelif 46 seconds in on Thursday, was warned not to fight Khelif, according to her coach, after Khelif failed gender eligibility tests at the 2023 World Championships.

Carini broke down in tears after getting punched twice in the face.

“I don’t know if her nose is broken. I have to speak with the girl. But many people in Italy tried to call and tell her: “Don’t go please: it’s a man, it’s dangerous for you,” Carini’s coach, Emanuele Renzini, told reporters after the fight.

An emotional Angela Carini (blue) of Italy abandons her women’s welterweight fight against Imane Khelif (red) of Algeria at the Olympics on Aug. 1, 2024. YAHYA ARHAB/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Algeria’s Imane Khelif (l.) is declared the winner over Italy’s Angela Carini (r.) in a women’s welterweight boxing match at the Olympics on Aug. 1, 2024. YAHYA ARHAB/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The International Olympic Committee addressed the inclusion of Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting after both were disqualified from last year’s world championships, which is run by the Russian-led International Boxing Association.

The IBA no longer runs boxing at the Olympics.

“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,” the IOC said in a statement prior to the 2024 Paris Games.

2024 PARIS OLYMPICS

Carini said she was “heartbroken.”

“I went to the ring to honor my father,” Carini told reporters. “I was told a lot of times that I was a warrior but I preferred to stop for my health. I have never felt a punch like this.

Algeria’s Imane Khelif (l.) fights Italy’s Angela Carini (r.) in a women’s welterweight bout at the Olympics on Aug. 1, 2024. AP
Algeria’s Imane Khelif leaves after Italy’s Angela Carini abandons the women’s welterweight fight at the Olympics on Aug. 1, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

“I got into the ring to fight. I didn’t give up, but one punch hurt too much and so I said enough. I’m going out with my head held high.

“After the second punch, after years of experience, I felt a strong pain in the nose. I said enough, because I didn’t want. I couldn’t finish the fight after the punch to the nose. So it was better to put an end to it.”

Khelif is focused on her next fight.

“I’m here for the gold,” Khelif told BBC Sport. “I fight everybody.”

The fight was officially ruled abandoned, with Khelif advancing to a quarterfinal bout Saturday against Hungary’s Luca Hamori.

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