Millions of sports fans are speaking out against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for allowing a fighter who was disqualified from a 2023 tournament for allegedly having male chromosomes to face a female opponent on Thursday.
It only took female Olympic boxer Angela Carini of Italy 46 seconds into what was supposed to be the biggest match of her life to realize that she could not beat Imane Khelif, the fighter from Algeria who had failed a gender test administered by the International Boxing Association. After those 46 seconds, Carini abandoned the ring and called off her hunt for an Olympic medal.
After giving up her dreams of Olympic gold, Carini told the media, “I am heartbroken. I went into the ring to honor my father. 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.”
In another post-bout interview, she added, “I have never been hit so hard in my life.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also blasted the IOC for allowing this to happen, saying, “Athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women’s competitions. Not because we want to discriminate against anyone, but in order to protect the right of female athletes to be able to compete on equal terms.”
Millions were incensed by the IOC’s decision to allow Khelif to fight women and blasted the Games on social media.
Women’s rights activist Riley Gaines ridiculed the “inclusion” pushed by the IOC:
Tennis great Martina Navratilova and Harry Potter scribe J.K. Rowling also blasted the Olympics for this “travesty.”
X user Darren Grimes noted that the IOC allowed the Khelif to box as a female even though he was recently disqualified from fighting as a woman:
Many, many others agreed that the situation is an outrage:
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