PARIS: The International Boxing Association has pledged to award prize money to Italy’s Angela Carini, whose 46-second Olympics defeat to an Algerian boxer at the center of a gender eligibility row has left the sport on the ropes.
Carini stopped her fight against Algeria’s Imane Khelif after receiving two strong punches to the face, refused to shake hands with her opponent and then collapsed to the canvas sobbing.
But the bout sparked controversy as Khelif had been disqualified by the IBA during last year’s world championship after failing unspecified gender eligibility tests.
There is no suggestion that Khelif, who has fought on the women’s circuit for years, including in the Tokyo Olympics, identifies as anything other than a woman.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) cleared her to fight at the Paris Games as they use the gender stated on the passport as their criterion for eligibility.
Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting appear to be caught in the crossfire of a row between the IBA and the IOC, which ejected the boxing body from the Olympic movement after financial and ethical irregularities.
Referring to Carini’s reaction at the end of the bout, IBA President Umar Kremlev said: “I couldn’t look at her tears.”
“I am not indifferent to such situations, and I can assure that we will protect each boxer. I do not understand why they kill women’s boxing,” added Kremlev.
“Only eligible athletes should compete in the ring for the sake of safety.”
The IBA said it would reward Carini prize money “as if she were an Olympic champion.”
The association said it was awarding all gold medallists $100,000, of which $25,000 will go to the national federation and $25,000 to the coach.
It was not immediately clear how much Carini would be offered and the IBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Carini has since apologized for not congratulating her opponent.
“All the controversy made me sad and I’m sorry for my opponent too. It’s nothing to do with her. She was here like me to fight,” she told the Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I was angry because my Olympics had just gone up in smoke but I’ve nothing against Imane Khelif. On the contrary, if I saw her again, I’d give her a hug,” she added.
Khelif fights later Saturday in the women’s 66kg quarter-final against Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori, with victory guaranteeing her medal, as all semifinalists get at least bronze.
Boxing body offers prize money to beaten Italian amid gender row
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Boxing body offers prize money to beaten Italian amid gender row
- Carini stopped her fight against Algeria’s Imane Khelif after receiving two strong punches to the face
Last-gasp penalty sends Atalanta past Dortmund and into last 16
- Dortmund’s Bensebaini was sent off after his studs caught the head of Atalanta’s Krstovic in the penalty area
- The hosts had to fight back following last week’s 2-0 loss in Germany
BERGAMO, Italy: Lazar Samardzic slotted home a stoppage-time penalty to complete a dramatic 4-1 victory for Atalanta over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, sending the Italian side into the Champions League’s last 16 with a comeback 4-3 aggregate triumph.
Dortmund’s Ramy Bensebaini was sent off after his studs caught the head of Atalanta’s Nikola Krstovic in the penalty area and Samardzic converted the spot kick in the 98th minute to send the Italians through. Atalanta will now face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the round of 16 with the draw on Friday.
The hosts had to fight back following last week’s 2-0 loss in Germany, and Gianluca Scamacca tapped in at the far post to give them a fifth-minute lead as they got off to a dream start.
Dortmund had their share of chances but it was their keeper, Gregor Kobel, who was busiest in the first half, twice denying Nicola Zalewski. He was beaten, however, on the stroke of halftime when Davide Zappacosta’s shot was deflected into the net off Bensebaini to make it 2-0.
Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi made the save of the match when he tipped Serhou Guirassy’s low drive wide in the 49th minute, to protect their two-goal advantage. Dortmund went even closer in the 53rd with Maximilian Beier’s shot bouncing off the post.
Instead it was the hosts who scored again thanks to Mario Pasalic’s header at the far post to go 3-0 up and take control of the tie.
Dortmund, however, bounced back with substitute Karim Adeyemi adding instant pace to their game and curling his 75th-minute shot into the top corner as the visitors hoped to take the contest into extra-time.
Yet Bensebaini then tried to clear a cross in the box with a backheel but caught the head of Krstovic, who went down bleeding. The hosts were awarded a penalty following a lengthy VAR review and Samardzic beat Kobel to send his team through with the last kick of the game.
