IBA awards Angela Carini monetary prize amid Paris gender scandal

The International Boxing Association (IBA) has announced that Italian boxer Angela Carini will receive the monetary prize she would have earned as the Olympic champion, following her withdrawal from a match against Imane Khelif of Algeria. The match, which took place during the Paris 2024 Olympics, ended after only 46 seconds due to Carini’s concerns for her safety.

🚨The International Boxing Association has just announced it is going to award prize money to female boxer Angela Carini, who forfeited her Olympic match against Imane Khelif yesterday.

In 2023, the IBA disqualified Khelif from women’s boxing for having “XY chromosomes.”

In a… pic.twitter.com/oK1GCeLPyQ

— REDUXX (@ReduxxMag) August 2, 2024

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Carini, visibly emotional after the match, expressed her heartbreak and the difficult decision she faced. “It hurts so much. My heart is broken. I went into the ring to honor my father. I’ve been told many times that I’m a fighter, but I chose to stop for my health. I’ve never taken such a hit,” she said.

The IBA recently announced that all gold medalists at the Games would receive a $50,000 prize. IBA President Umar Kremlev addressed the situation, expressing his support for Carini and his concerns about the implications for women’s boxing. “I could not watch her tears. I am not indifferent to such situations and I can assure you that we will protect every boxer,” Kremlev stated. “I do not understand why they are killing women’s boxing. Only eligible athletes should compete in the ring for the sake of safety.”

The controversy centers around Khelif, who, along with Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan, was previously disqualified from last year’s World Championships for not meeting the gender identity criteria. The IBA’s decision to award Carini the prize money highlights the organization’s commitment to supporting its athletes amid complex and sensitive issues.

Additionally, the IBA announced a prize for Sitora Turdibekova of Uzbekistan, who was defeated by Lin on Friday, further demonstrating the IBA’s dedication to fairness and athlete welfare.