Subhi Agrawal
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif advanced to the quarter-finals of the women’s 66kg at the Olympics after her opponent, Italy’s Angela Carini, withdrew in just 46 seconds into the fight. After 30 seconds in the fight Carini returned to her coach to fix her headgear but after briefly resuming the fight get back to her corner and withdrew.
Carini had suffered a serious nose injury
Italian boxer Carini refused to shake hands with her counterpart Khelif and collapsed to her knees in tears after retiring from the bout facing the media .Her Italian coach said Carini had suffered a severe nose injury as Khelif had landed two punches to her head in a very short period of time.
“I wasn’t able to finish the match, I felt a strong pain to my nose and I said [to myself] for the experience that I have and the maturity as a woman that I have, I said I hope my nation won’t take it badly, I hope my dad won’t take it badly – but I stopped, I said stop for myself,” Carini said
“It could have been the match of a lifetime, but I had to preserve my life as well in that moment.I didn’t have fear, I don’t fear the ring. I don’t fear taking the blows. But this time there’s an end for everything, and I put an end to this match, because I wasn’t able to [continue].” she added
Disqualification From Last Year Championship
Khelif was disqualified from last year’s Women’s World Championships in New Delhi, organized by the International Boxing Association (IBA). She failed the gender test as the test found that her testosterone levels were too high. Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, was also disqualified and was stripped of a bronze medal at last year’s World Championships after failing a gender eligibility test.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: “These athletes have competed many times before for many years, they haven’t just suddenly arrived – they competed in Tokyo.”
Khelif, who has lost nine times during her 50-fight career, says, “I’m here for the gold – I fight everybody.”
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