Paris Olympics: boxer offers apology to Imane Khelif after ‘trans’ controversy
- Algerian boxer, a biological woman, was falsely accused by politicians and social media users as being ‘trans’
Italian boxer Angela Carini said she wants to apologise to Imane Khelif following the controversy which surrounded their fight.
Carini abandoned their bout after 46 seconds and the decision was followed by global outrage, particularly on social media with accusations Khelif, a biological woman with a higher testosterone level, was trans.
“All this controversy makes me sad,” Carini told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. “I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC (International Olympic Committee) said she can fight, I respect that decision.”
After receiving a punch to head, Carini went to her corner and said: “She really hurt me, I don’t want to carry on,” before abandoning the bout.
And during the confirmation of Khelif’s victory, Carini repeated the words: “It’s not right.”
She also refused a handshake offered to her by her Algerian opponent after the fight.