Behind the Scandal: Imane Khelif’s Victory and the IBA’s Questionable Practices

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif defeated Italian Angela Carini in less than a minute during their light welterweight round of 16 match. However, for two days following the bout, there was an outcry in support of the defeated Italian boxer Angela Carini.

Logically, it’s highly unusual and rather unprofessional for a boxer to throw in the towel after only 46 seconds in the ring, especially when they’ve neither sustained visible injuries nor shown signs of instability. Carini surrendered simply because she couldn’t bear the pain from two heavy blows to her face.

Afterwards, she broke down in tears within the ring and refused to shake hands with her opponent, Khelif. In subsequent interviews, Carini claimed the match was unfair, insinuating that her opponent was transgender and essentially a man competing with the strength of a male in a women’s category. This sparked widespread sympathy and outrage.

However, the reality is that Khelif is certainly not transgender, and by the International Olympic Committee’s current standards, there are no issues regarding her gender. She is also far from possessing male-level athletic capabilities. She has been wrongly accused!

Firstly, where did the claim that “Khelif is a man” originate?