Rory O'Callaghan
Former US president Donald Trump has waded into the debate over Imane Khelif's involvement at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
There was major controversy in the boxing on Thursday after Italian fighter Angela Carini abandoned her bout against Algeria's Khelif just 46 seconds into the welterweight fight.
Khelif is one of two boxers cleared to compete at the Olympics despite being disqualified from boxing's Women's World Championships last year for failing gender eligibility tests.
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Speaking after the fight, Carini claimed she had pulled out after being punched harder than she had ever been hit.
"I am heartbroken," Carini said. "I went to the ring to honour my father. I was told a lot of times that I was a warrior but I preferred to stop for my health. I have never felt a punch like this."
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Carini in Paris on Thursday, offering her support to the fighter.
Meloni posted a picture to X of herself speaking to Carini alongside the caption: "I know that you won't give up Angela, and I know that one day you will get what you deserve through strength and sweat. In a competition that is finally equal."
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The meeting came about after previous comments from Meloni questioning Khelif's involvement at the Games.
"I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women's competitions," Meloni said.
US presidential candidate Trump has now waded into the debate in typically inflammatory fashion.
Taking to his Truth Social account, Trump posted a clip of the fight alongside the caption: "I will keep men out of women's sports!"
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While Khelif and Taiwan's double world champion Lin Yu-ting were both disqualified from last year's World Championships for failing gender eligibility tests, there is a lack of clarity over the testing procedure and its results.
At the time, the International Boxing Association (IBA) - the organiser of the Championships - said the two athletes were excluded based on tests that showed "they have XY chromosomes". Women typically have XX chromosome pairs, and men typically have XY pairs. Neither Khelif nor Lin have ever identified as male, transgender, or as intersex.
However, the Russian-led IBA has long faced questions about its governance and in June of last year was stripped of its status as the sport's world governing body by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
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Boxing at the 2024 Olympics is instead being overseen by another body, the Paris Boxing Unit (PBU), which approved both Khelif and Lin to take part in the Games.
The IOC issued a strongly-worded statement on Thursday, affirming Khelif and Lin's eligibility to take part in the 2024 Games in Paris without specifically naming the pair.
"Every person has the right to practise sport without discrimination," the statement read. "All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU)."
Logan Paul was forced to apologise on social media on Thursday after helping to spread false information about Khelif, following Carini's decision to withdraw from their fight.
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After initially claiming that a "man was allowed to beat up a woman on a global stage", Paul later retracted his comments about Khelif.
"I might be guilty of spreading misinformation along with the entirety of this app," he posted on X.
"Although she's been previously disqualified for failing a 'gender test' and has XY chromosomes, some sources say Imane Khelif was born a biological woman.
"I stand by my sentiment that biological men should not compete against biological women in any sport and if you disagree you're a sick f***."