Stinging criticism and test change demanded after Angela Carini 'brutal injustice' at Olympics

A human rights group says the International Olympic Committee’s rules on gender eligibility at the women’s boxing tournament in Paris have created a “dangerous and absurd spectacle”.

Italian fighter Angela Carini abandoned her fight against Algeria’s Imane Khelif after just 46 seconds on Thursday.

Khelif was one of two fighters who was disqualified from last year’s World Championships for failing to meet gender eligibility criteria, but have been admitted to the Olympic tournament by the IOC.

Carini left the ring bloodied and tearful after the short bout on Thursday and Fiona McAnena, the director of campaigns at human rights charity Sex Matters, said: “It’s grossly unfair that at the pinnacle of her sporting career, Italian boxer Angela Carini had to concede for her own safety.

“The look of sheer pain and devastation in her face at that moment should be enough to end the absurd and dangerous spectacle of men in women’s sport once and for all.

“People are rightly outraged, and the IOC should be ashamed, but they seem to be shameless as this is their policy in action. Male advantage used against women makes nearly every sport unfair, and some sports unsafe, including boxing. This is still being played out in many sports worldwide.”

Imane Khelif of Team Algeria and Angela Carini of Team Italy exchange punches during the Women's 66kg preliminary round match on day six of the Olympic Games | Getty Images

The IOC spokesman, Mark Adams, said in a press conference that some women have testosterone in the male range but this is nonsense, as testosterone levels in healthy men and women don’t overlap. Women with male levels of testosterone are either seriously ill, doping, or are actually men.

“Adams also said that we should not go back to the ‘bad old days’ of sex testing, but surveys suggest that most elite women athletes want exactly that – a once-in-a-lifetime cheek swab that protects the integrity of women’s sport.”

Elon Musk, the owner of the social media platform X, endorsed efforts to get a campaign in support of Carini trending. American swimmer Riley Gaines, who has campaigned for women’s rights in her sport, wrote on the platform: “Men don’t belong in women’s sports #IStandWithAngelaCarini Let’s get it trending.” Musk quoted Gaines’ post and replied: “Absolutely.”

The situation was also condemned by Scottish author JK Rowling, who commented on social media: “A young female boxer has just had everything she’s worked and trained for snatched away because you allowed a male to get in the ring with her. You’re a disgrace, your ‘safeguarding’ is a joke and #Paris24 will be forever tarnished by the brutal injustice done to Carini.”

Scottish tennis coach Judy Murray - the mother of current GB athlete Andy Murray - also took to X, writing: “This should never have been allowed to happen. Bring back the swab test. Sport has to be fair and safe for biological women.”