Carini withdrew from her bout with Khelif, suggesting that she had never felt such punching power

Algeria’s Imane Khelif, right, defeated, Italy’s Angela CariniLAPRESSE

Olympic boxer Angela Carini has ended her social media silence after a controversial loss to Imane Khelif in the round of 16 of the women’s 66kg boxing category at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Carini was defeated by Khelif through an early stoppage and later expressed concerns about her health, noting that Khelif’s punch was the hardest she had ever felt, although this sparked a pile-on with regards to Khelif and her biological status.

People felt Khelif shouldn’t have been eligible for female competition

Carini’s comments ignited online debate regarding Khelif’s eligibility to compete, as it was revealed that Khelif had previously been disqualified from the 2023 World Championships due to the results of an unspecified eligibility test.

The situation fueled further speculation and discussion among boxing fans and experts, although many pointed towards the fact that Khelif had passed all the tests of eligibility for the Games.

Five weeks after the bout, Carini broke her silence on Instagram with a cryptic post on her social media pages.

“Many times a person needs to close themselves in order to meditate and find the answers inside their own soul,” Carini posted on Instagram.

“Today I rise, with serenity and courage, looking forward to the future, toward my new goals.”

She thanked her supporters and expressed gratitude for the challenges that have contributed to her growth, despite her disappointing performance in Paris.

Carini issued an apology to Khelif

Carini also addressed the controversy caused by her comments, offering an apology to her opponent and others affected.

“All this controversy makes me sad, I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision,” she stated.

Olympic boxer Angela Carini has ended her social media silence after a controversial loss to Imane Khelif in the round of 16 of the women’s 66kg boxing category at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Carini was defeated by Khelif through an early stoppage and later expressed concerns about her health, noting that Khelif’s punch was the hardest she had ever felt, although this sparked a pile-on with regards to Khelif and her biological status.

Imane Khelif looks unrecognizable after feminine makeover

People felt Khelif shouldn’t have been eligible for female competition

Carini’s comments ignited online debate regarding Khelif’s eligibility to compete, as it was revealed that Khelif had previously been disqualified from the 2023 World Championships due to the results of an unspecified eligibility test.

The situation fueled further speculation and discussion among boxing fans and experts, although many pointed towards the fact that Khelif had passed all the tests of eligibility for the Games.

Five weeks after the bout, Carini broke her silence on Instagram with a cryptic post on her social media pages.

“Many times a person needs to close themselves in order to meditate and find the answers inside their own soul,” Carini posted on Instagram.

“Today I rise, with serenity and courage, looking forward to the future, toward my new goals.”

She thanked her supporters and expressed gratitude for the challenges that have contributed to her growth, despite her disappointing performance in Paris.

Carini issued an apology to Khelif

Carini also addressed the controversy caused by her comments, offering an apology to her opponent and others affected.

“All this controversy makes me sad, I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision,” she stated.

While Carini was interviewed in the immediate aftermath of her disappointment, it is important to remember that her words actually called into question the legitimacy of the Olympic boxing competition at that juncture.

With Khelif embarking on legal action against those who harassed her and peddled lies about her in the days after the Carini bout, it’s unclear how the Algerian will take this apology.