The great Olympic boxing scandal

The Paris Olympic Games have not been free from controversy, and perhaps the most scandalous incident directly related to the competition occurred in women’s boxing. The match between Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Italian Angela Carini ended just 46 seconds into the first round when Carini, after being significantly hit by her opponent, chose not to continue.

But what’s the controversy? The masculine appearance of Khelif has sparked a wave of comments on social media, with many alleging she is a transgender woman. This implies that Carini fought against someone assigned male at birth, making the match unfair due to Khelif’s high testosterone levels.

Last March, Khelif was disqualified just before the gold medal match at the World Championships in New Delhi. The International Boxing Association (IBA) stated that “athletes pretending to be women” were excluded after tests showed they had “XY chromosomes,” which are typically male.

Khelif is competing in Paris because Olympic boxing rules differ from those of the IBA. It appears Khelif (who also competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics) was born female but has a rare condition called Swyer Syndrome, where individuals have one X and one Y chromosome (typical of males) but possess female reproductive structures. People with Swyer Syndrome have female external genitalia, some female internal reproductive structures, and high levels of testosterone.

Various celebrities show their disapproval

Despite this, many celebrities have expressed their disapproval of the incident between Khelif and Carini. Some accuse Khelif of “being a man competing against women,” while others highlight the unfairness of someone having significantly higher testosterone levels than a typical woman.

One of the most vocal critics is American swimmer Riley Gaines, who posted on X: “Men don’t belong in women’s sports. #IStandWithAngelaCarini. Let’s make this trend,” along with a photo of the Italian boxer. This post was retweeted by X owner Elon Musk, who commented, “Absolutely.“

Gaines added in another tweet: “After 46 seconds and a few punches in the face from a man, Carini gave up the fight. Call me crazy, but it’s almost like women don’t want to be punched in the face by a man while the world watches and cheers. This is glorified male violence against women.“

Another critic was English writer and Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling, known for her opposition to transgender people. She tweeted: “A young boxer has just had everything she worked and trained for taken away because they allowed a man to get in the ring with her. You are a disgrace; your ‘protection’ is a joke, and #Paris24 will forever be tainted by the brutal injustice against Carini.“

She continued: “Could any image better summarize our new men’s rights movement? The smile of a man protected by a misogynistic sports system enjoying the anguish of a woman he just hit in the head, shattering her life’s ambition,” along with a photo of Khelif consoling Carini.

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Dr. Simon Goddek also commented, posting: “This is the chilling and heartbreaking moment when Italian boxer Angela Carini, unable to bear the brutal reality of fighting a biological man, falls to her knees in tears and surrenders after only 46 seconds,” alongside a photo of a devastated Carini in the ring.

This controversy isn’t the only one in Paris, as a similar situation involves Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting. These incidents open the door to intense debates on whether it is fair for boxers with masculine appearances (or in Khelif’s case, male chromosomes) to participate in women’s sports.