Khelif was awarded the win inside a minute (Picture: Getty/TNT Sport)
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won her boxing match against Angela Carini after her Italian opponent quit in the ring after just 46 seconds at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Carini was on the receiving end of some heavy shots from the opening bell, one of which appeared to knock her head guard loose.
After being caught with another vicious right hand, the Italian retreated to her corner again moments later, visibly frustrated and angry before the referee waved off proceedings off with the fight officially abandoned by Carini.
Khelif was disqualified at the 2023 world championships after being judged to have failed gender eligibility tests. The International Olympic Committee are satisfied she has complied with all rules to fight at the Olympics in Paris.
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The Daily Telegraph report Carini suffered a suspected broke nose in those early exchanges.
She turned to her corner during the fight and was heard saying: ‘It’s not fair, it’s not fair.’
Khelif was baffled by the early finish (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
She also told her coach, Emanuele Renzini, ‘it hurts like hell’.
Khelif’s arm was lifted into the air by the referee as the winner with Carini then falling to her to her knees in tears.
Carini also appeared to avoid shaking Khelif’s hand as she left the ring.
‘I have always honoured my country with loyalty,’ Carini said.
‘I went into the ring to fight. I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much and so I said enough. Giving up was a gesture of maturity, not of surrender.’
Carini refused to fight on (Picture: AFP/Getty)
The Algerian Olympic Committee issued a statement Wednesday condemning what it described as ‘lies’ and ‘unethical targeting and maligning of our esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif, with baseless propaganda from certain foreign media outlets.’
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Khelif is one of two fighters who were disqualified from last year’s world championships. Lin Yu‑ting of Taiwan, the other fighter in question, fights on Friday.
The IOC meanwhile confirmed this week it was happy for both fighters to complete in this summer’s Games.
‘Obviously I am not going to comment on individuals,’ the IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said. ‘That’s really invidious and unfair. But I would just say that everyone competing in the women’s category is complying with the competition eligibility rules. They are women in their passports and it is stated that is the case.’
