Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew from her bout against Imane Khelif at the Olympics after just 46 seconds, reigniting a row over whether the Algerian should be competing in Paris.
Khelif was disqualified from last year’s World Boxing Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA) after failing testosterone and gender eligibility tests.
Nevertheless, she was allowed to fight at the Games as the International Olympic Committee’s rules are different.
Carini was hit by two powerful blows early in the first round of their 66kg category bout – with the first appearing to break her chin strap – before retreating to her corner and informing the referee she was conceding.
Carini refused to shake Khelif’s hand and fell to her knees crying in the centre of the ring before leaving the arena.
She told reporters: “I have always honoured my country with loyalty. This time I didn’t succeed because I couldn’t fight anymore. So I put an end to the match.
“I went into the ring to fight. I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much and so I said enough.
“I’m leaving with my head held high.”
Before the fight, the Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) said attacks on Khelif were unfair.
A statement read: “COA strongly condemns the unethical targeting and maligning of our esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif, with baseless propaganda from certain foreign media outlets.
“Such attacks on her personality and dignity are deeply unfair, especially as she prepares for the pinnacle of her career at the Olympics. The COA has taken all necessary measures to protect our champion.”
Italy’s family minister Eugenia Roccella held a different view, saying yesterday: “It is surprising that there are no certain, strict, uniform criteria at the international level.”
She added that it was strange “that there can be a suspicion, and far more than a suspicion, of an unfair and potentially dangerous contest for one of the contenders at the Olympics, an event that symbolises sporting fairness”.
