Grapevine

Rights group: IOC has created ‘dangerous and absurd’ boxing 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 were disqualified from last year’s women’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 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.