The decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow two female boxers with male chromosomes (intersex), but who are biologically women, to compete in the Paris Olympics has sparked reactions. Iman Khlif from Algeria and Lin-Yu Ting from Taiwan have come under scrutiny and have been accused of being transgender—despite having competed as women their entire lives—because they were disqualified from the 2023 World Boxing Championship for failing the gender verification test due to elevated testosterone levels.

Iman Khlif is scheduled to compete on Saturday at 6:22 PM against Ana Luka Hamori from Hungary in the women’s 66 kg quarterfinals, while Lin-Yu Ting from Taiwan faces Sitora Turdibekova from Uzbekistan today (4:30 PM) in the women’s 57 kg round of 16.

The backlash intensified yesterday when Italian boxer Angela Carini tearfully withdrew from her match against Iman Khlif from Algeria just 46 seconds after entering the ring for the women’s 66 kg round of 16 in the Olympic boxing tournament.

The Italian boxer endured the first body blow, but a punch to the face forced her to turn to her corner and ask her coach to withdraw. “Coach, it hurt so much, I don’t want to continue…” she reportedly told her coach, according to Italian media. Her coach had no choice, and shortly after, the referee raised Khlif’s hand, declaring her the winner.

“It was the hardest punch I’ve ever received,” Carini commented, explaining her decision to stop after the blow.

“It could have been the match of my life, but at that moment, I had to protect my life too. I wasn’t scared; I’m not afraid of the ring or getting hit. I’ve competed for the national team many times. I train with my brother. I’ve always fought against men, but I felt an immense pain today,” said the Italian boxer.

On her part, the winner Iman Khlif, passing in front of the press, stated that she is “God’s chosen one to win the gold medal” and that she “will defeat anyone necessary” to achieve this.

The Reason Behind Carini’s Decision

According to Italian media, while the strong punch to Carini’s face may have been the immediate reason for her to stop the fight, the underlying reason for her to “throw in the towel” was the strong objections expressed by the Italian delegation and Carini herself regarding Iman Khlif’s participation in the Paris Olympics.

Iman Khlif has undergone gender transition. Last year, she was banned by the international federation from participating in the world championship following the results of her tests. One of these tests, called the “sex test,” measures an athlete’s hormones, such as testosterone. This test is often conducted for athletes who have undergone gender transition.

The International Boxing Association (IBA) claimed that the chromosome tests for the boxers showed XY chromosomes, which are male, instead of the XX chromosomes typical for females. The IBA has set strict limits for athletes, particularly female athletes, regarding testosterone levels, a hormone linked to males but also present in females at lower levels.

Khlif had failed this test, presenting results significantly higher than what is medically accepted for female boxers, with her testosterone levels being at male boxer levels.

The Italian delegation had voiced their objection to the Olympic Committee’s decision to allow Khlif to compete, although she had presumably passed the required examinations.

Khlif and Lin are both two-time Olympians and competed normally in the Tokyo Games. Lin has been an elite amateur boxer for a decade, and Khlif for six years. They were allowed to compete in Paris by the special IOC task force, which has organized the last two Olympic boxing tournaments.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has also weighed in on the matter. Since last night, she has been in France to witness the efforts of Italian athletes up close.

Upon arriving at Casa Italia (the Italian House in the Olympic Village) just minutes after Carini’s withdrawal, Meloni seized the opportunity to launch an attack on the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“I disagree with the IOC’s decision, and we’ve been saying this for quite some time. When the IOC changed its regulations on this issue in 2021, we submitted a proposal to highlight the consequences that would arise. The fact is that with the Algerian athlete’s testosterone levels, the fight was not fair from the start. I believe that athletes with male genetic characteristics should not be allowed to compete in women’s events, not to discriminate against anyone but to protect the right of female athletes to compete on equal terms,” said the Italian Prime Minister, praising Carini.

“I thank Angela for the way she handled the situation. The fact that she withdrew saddens me even more. Yesterday, I was thrilled when she wrote ‘I will fight’ because dedication and character matter in these things, but so does competing on equal terms. And as I see it, this was not a fair fight.”

“I know you won’t give up, Angela, and I know that one day you will earn through hard work and sweat what you deserve. In a truly fair competition,” the Italian Prime Minister wrote on X.

The reaction on Twitter has been explosive following Angela Carini’s withdrawal from the ring. Riley Gaines, a former Tennessee swimmer, supported the Italian boxer in a post on X, stating that “Men have no place in women’s sports.” Elon Musk reshared the post, expressing his full agreement.

Immediately after the match, Twitter was flooded with messages supporting the Italian boxer. Under the hashtag #IstandWithAngelaCarini, many expressed their solidarity with the athlete.