The suspicion of the sex of the female boxer Imane Khelif (Algeria) increased, after she played her first match in the Paris Olympic Games 2024. At the 66kg weight class, this boxer won against opponent Angela Carini (Italy). With only 2 punches, Khelif punched Carini's nose.
The need to receive a heavy blow from Khelif has made Carini decide to stop the match early. At the time of Italian boxers, they would like to give up, the competition between the two new fighters lasted for 46 seconds. This is one of the fastest ending matches of Boxing at the Paris Olympic Games 2024.
Immediately after the match, Angela Carini was asked about whether she doubted her opponent today as male or female. The Italian boxer immediately replied, “I don't know anymore. The last ruler belongs to the International Olympic Committee. I see my life has never been punched like this.”
The reason why Angela Carini decided to give up early also had many different sources of information. Someone said the Italian boxer had a broken nose, others claimed that she would like to lose to “save herself”, after feeling that the physical body was too different, and Khelif was abnormally strong compared to a female athlete.
There is also a comment similar to Angela Carini, Brianda Tamara Cruz Sandoval. The Mexican boxer attended the Tokyo Olympic Games, and she had a encounter with MeMane Khelif in 2022. Recalling the match with Khelif, Sandoval said: “I have never been punched like that, more painful than my male athletes.”
Sandoval added, at the time of the upper stage against Khelif, she did not think her opponent was female. Mexican boxers felt lucky to end the match without any serious injury. She was also surprised because Khelif was concluded as a male but still attending the Olympic Games.