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The International Boxing Association has promised a prize money award to Italy’s Angela Carini, who lost by 46 seconds to an Algerian boxer at the Olympics and became the focus of a gender qualification controversy that has embattled the sport.
After taking two punches to the face during her bout with Algeria’s Iman Khelif, Karini stopped the fight, refused to shake her opponent’s hand and collapsed to the canvas crying.
But the fight was controversial because Khalif was disqualified by the AIBA from last year’s world championships for failing a qualifying test that did not specify his gender.
Khalif has competed in women’s boxing for years, including at the Tokyo Olympics, but has given no indication that she considers herself anything less than a woman.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved her to compete in the Paris Olympics because they used the gender on the passport as the eligibility criterion.
Khalif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting appear to be caught in the middle of a dispute between the AIBA and the International Olympic Committee, which has removed the AIBA from the Olympic movement over financial and ethical irregularities.
Speaking about Kalini’s reaction at the end of the fight, AIBA president Umar Kremlev said: “I couldn’t bear to see her in tears.”
Kremlev added: “I am not indifferent to the situation and I can assure you that we will protect every boxer. I don’t understand why they want to stifle women’s boxing.”
“For safety reasons, only qualified athletes will be allowed to enter the boxing ring.”
FIBA said it would award Carini a bonus “as if she were an Olympic champion.”
The association said it would award $100,000 to all gold medal winners, with $25,000 going to the national federation and $25,000 to the coach.
It was not immediately clear how much Carini would be offered and IBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Carini later apologized for not congratulating his opponent.
“I am sad about all the controversy and I feel sad for my opponent. This has nothing to do with her. She is here to fight just like me,” she told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I am angry because my Olympics are ruined, but I don’t have any hatred towards Imani Khalif. On the contrary, if I see her again, I will give her a hug,” she added.
Khalif will face Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary in the women’s 66kg quarterfinal later on Saturday and will be guaranteed a medal if she wins, as all semifinalists will get at least bronze.
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