Angela Carini issues apology to boxing rival Imane Khelif after 46-second bout sparks Olympic firestorm

Italian boxer Angela Carini has issued a full apology to Algerian rival Imane Khelif “and everyone else” after their dramatic women’s 66kg bout sparked a “sad” firestorm at the Olympics.

Carini abandoned the fight after just 46 seconds, citing pain in her nose following a flurry of punches, but initial comments about protecting her life spread widely amid misinformation surrounding Khelif’s gender.

Khelif entered her second Olympics after being disqualified from the 2023 world championships by the International Boxing Association for supposedly failing gender eligibility tests.

The IBA has since been removed from running the sport after years of concerns with its governance, financial transparency and administration of competitions.

The International Olympic Committee took over and has repeatedly backed Khelif, speaking out against former IBA leaders and condemning the growing criticism.

Carini has also now spoken out.

“All this controversy makes me sad,” she told Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.”

Carini said she regretted snubbing a handshake with Khelif and wants to “embrace her” if they meet again.

“It wasn’t something I intended to do,” the Italian said.

“Actually, I want to apologise to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke.”

Carini’s remark that she quit the fight to “safeguard her life” went viral and her coach claimed she may have done so because of the gender furore.

But the Italian had in fact also spoken through tears to explain the injury was behind her decision.

“I felt a strong pain in my nose and ... could no longer finish the match,” she said after the fight.

“I am heartbroken because I am a fighter, my father taught me to be a warrior.

“I felt all the controversy that there has been ... that was not something that stopped me or blocked me mentally.”

Khelif is one win away from securing a medal, something she failed to do in Tokyo three years ago when she lost at the same quarter-final stage.

Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, disqualified from last year’s world championships alongside Khelif and supported by the IOC in Paris, is now in the same position after winning her first bout.

Boxing gives bronze medals to both losing semi-finalists while the winning semi-finalists fight on to decide gold or silver.

Lin lost her first bout at the Olympics in Tokyo three years ago but had no such problems in Paris against Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova.

Lin, 28, entered the ring to a chorus of cheers.

Her headgear became dislodged in the first minute during a clinch, but she won the first round on four of five scorecards.

Lin went on to win the final two rounds 5-0 on all five cards, bowing to the crowd before leaving the ring.

On her walk back to the dressing room, she stopped and waved at her cheering fan section, touching her hand to her heart, and later hugged some of her supporters.

Lin didn’t speak to media after her race but Taiwan coach Tseng Tzu-chiang briefly described the victory, saying Lin overcame pressure in the first round.

Lin is the top seed in the women’s 57kg category in Paris, although Olympic seeding is frequently not indicative of a boxer’s medal chances.

She won world championships in 2018 and 2022 while she was due to compete in the 2023 final before the IBA disqualification.

- with AAP