I want to apologise to Khelif – Italian boxer Carini

I want to apologise to Khelif – Italian boxer Carini Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Angela Carini (right) said she had “never been hit with such a powerful punch”. Published 8 minutes ago Italian boxer Angela Carini, who abandoned her Olympic bout against Algeria’s Imane Khelif inside 46 seconds, says she “wants to apologise”
I want to apologise to Khelif – Italian boxer Carini

I want to apologise to Khelif – Italian boxer Carini

Angela Carini fights Imane KhelifImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Angela Carini (right) said she had “never been hit with such a powerful punch”.

  • Published

Italian boxer Angela Carini, who abandoned her Olympic bout against Algeria’s Imane Khelif inside 46 seconds, says she “wants to apologise” to her opponent.

Khelif is one of two athletes who have been cleared to compete in the women’s boxing in Paris, despite having been disqualified from last year’s Women’s World Championships for failing to meet eligibility criteria.

The 25-year-old’s participation in the Games has proved controversial, leading the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to defend her right to compete.

“All this controversy makes me sad,” Carini told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.”

Carini said abandoning the fight had been a mature step to take, but she expressed regret at not shaking hands with Khelif afterwards.

“It wasn’t something I intended to do,” Carini said. “Actually, I want to apologise to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke.”

She added that if she met Khelif again, she would “embrace her”.

After taking a punch to the face inside 30 seconds during Thursday’s fight, Carini went to the corner for her coach to fix her headgear. After briefly resuming, she returned to her corner once more and stopped the fight.

Carini later told BBC Sport: “It could have been the match of a lifetime, but I had to preserve my life as well in that moment.”

The Russia-led International Boxing Association (IBA), which carried out the tests last year, said Khelif “failed to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women’s competition, as set and laid out in the IBA regulations”.

Khelif has always competed in the women’s division and is recognised by the IOC as a female athlete.

“The Algerian boxer was born female, was registered female, lived her life as a female, boxed as a female, has a female passport,” IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said on Friday.

Total
0
Shares
Leave a Reply
Related Posts
In swing state Pennsylvania, middle class struggles to get by
Read More

In swing state Pennsylvania, middle class struggles to get by

The giant steelworks that greets visitors to Allentown, Pennsylvania once symbolized the city’s success as an industrial hub. Today, its middle-class residents struggle to overcome the long-term impacts of post-pandemic inflation. Purchasing power is one of the main themes of the US presidential election, and a thorn in the side of Democrats — especially in
Kemi Badenoch vows to ‘renew capitalism’ with the SIX Tory leadership contenders set to be finalised TODAY – but Suella Braverman has already pulled out admitting MPs don’t agree with her call for a shift to the Right
Read More

Kemi Badenoch vows to ‘renew capitalism’ with the SIX Tory leadership contenders set to be finalised TODAY – but Suella Braverman has already pulled out admitting MPs don’t agree with her call for a shift to the Right

Kemi Badenoch has become the sixth declared Tory leader contender pledging to 'renew capitalism'. The former Cabinet minister - widely regarded as the favourite to replace Rishi Sunak - has joined Priti Patel, Robert Jenrick, James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat and Mel Stride in going public with a bid.  The final line-up is due to be
Met Police reveal 111 arrests during Whitehall riots over Southport mass stabbing that saw bottles, flares and fists rain down on officers
Read More

Met Police reveal 111 arrests during Whitehall riots over Southport mass stabbing that saw bottles, flares and fists rain down on officers

The Met Police have revealed 111 arrests were made during Whitehall riots over the  Southport mass stabbing - that saw bottles, flares and fists rain down on officers. The arrests were made for offences including violent disorder, assaults on police officers, possession of knives and offensive weapons and breach of protest conditions. Around 1,000 protesting yobs were
Caroline Springs Shopping Centre attack: Cops make a grisly find after stabbing attack in shopping centre car park left teen fighting for life
Read More

Caroline Springs Shopping Centre attack: Cops make a grisly find after stabbing attack in shopping centre car park left teen fighting for life

A severed finger has reportedly been found in a car park after an alleged stabbing attack that left a teenager in critical condition. The finger was found by a police officer, according to 7NEWS. Emergency services were called to Lake St near Caroline Springs Shopping Centre about 5.15pm on Thursday. Armed offenders allegedly got out