The International Boxing Association (IBA) has announced it will award Italy’s Angela Carini $50,000 in prize money following her controversial defeat in the welterweight round-of-16 at the Paris 2024 Olympics against Algerian fighter Imane Khelif. Carini withdrew just 46 seconds into the first round after absorbing several clean punches from Khelif.
In addition to Carini’s prize money, the IBA stated that her federation would receive $25,000, and her coach would also be awarded $25,000. This decision comes amid significant controversy and governance issues within the sport.
IBA President Umar Kremlev expressed his frustration over the situation, saying, "Only eligible athletes should compete in the ring for the sake of safety. I could not look at her tears."
The controversy stems from the participation of Khelif and Taiwan’s double-world champion Lin Yu-ting, who were both cleared to compete at the 2024 Games despite being disqualified at the 2023 World Championships for failing IBA eligibility rules. These rules prevent athletes with male XY chromosomes from competing in women's events. Khelif reportedly has a disorder of sex development, a condition involving genes, hormones, and reproductive organs that sometimes result in individuals being raised as female but having XY sex chromosomes.
The International Olympic Committee stripped the IBA of its status as boxing’s governing body in 2023 over governance issues and has taken charge of the boxing competition for Paris 2024. This move has placed the IOC at the center of a contentious debate regarding the eligibility of Khelif and Yu-ting.
Read more about what has happened in the Olympics bout between Algeria and Italy here.
Image Credit; Sky News