Algerian boxer Imane Khelif caught up in gender controversy at Paris 2024 Olympics

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Algerian boxer Imane Khelif found herself at the centre of a gender storm at the Paris 2024 Olympics after her 46-second victory over Italy's Angela Carini on Thursday.

Khelif's emphatic win in the opening round of the 66kg competition drew widespread criticism, with even Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni weighing in, describing it as a fight that was "not on an equal footing".

Khelif, 25, has been competing in amateur boxing for many years – she was beaten by Ireland's Kellie Harrington in the quarter-finals at the Tokyo Olympics – but last year was banned by the International Boxing Association (IBA), amateur boxing's nominal governing body other than at the Olympics, where it is overseen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The Algerian – along with Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting who fights on Friday in the 57kg category – was disqualified from the 2023 IBA World Championships but was reinstated by the IOC who deemed both women eligible to box in Paris.

The IBA had said on Wednesday that the pair were previously disqualified "to uphold the level of fairness and utmost integrity of the competition".

It said they "did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognised test, whereby the specifics remain confidential".

"This test conclusively indicated that both athletes did not meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors," the IBA added.

However, the IOC released a statement on Thursday criticising the IBA's handling of the situation.

It read: "These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA. Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process.

"According to the IBA minutes available on their website, this decision was initially taken solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO. The IBA Board only ratified it afterwards and only subsequently requested that a procedure to follow in similar cases in the future be established and reflected in the IBA Regulations. The minutes also say that the IBA should “establish a clear procedure on gender testing”.

"The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure – especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years."

Khelif was given a rousing welcome when she came into the North Paris Arena, where there was a sizeable Algerian contingent. Before and during the short bout they chanted her name, but the action itself was over in a flash.

The Algerian landed two flush right hands, causing damage to her opponent's nose. A distraught Carini ignored attempts by Khelif to shake her hand at the end of the bout and fell to her knees and sobbed before breaking into tears again in front of the media.

Carini, who had blood on her shorts, said: “It hurt so much [Khelif's punches]. I am heartbroken. 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. After the second blow, and after years of experience in the ring and a lifetime of fighting, I felt extreme pain in my nose."

With criticism mounting ahead of the bout on Thursday afternoon, Algeria's Olympic Committee (COA) released a statement saying that they "denounce in the strongest terms the malicious and unethical attacks directed against our distinguished athlete, Imane Khelif, by certain foreign media."

The COA hit out at "lies" that it said were "completely unfair".

"We are all with you, Imane," it added. "The whole nation supports you."

However, with Khelif back in action against Hungary's Luca Anna Hamori in the quarter-finals on Saturday, there is likely to be even more scrutiny on the Algerian.

Italian PM Meloni, who was speaking during a meeting with Italian athletes in Paris according to a video she posted on X, said she disagreed with the IOC's decision to reinstate Khelif.

"I do not agree with the IOC," she said. "I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women's competitions."

Irish fighter Amy Broadhurst, who has boxed and beaten Khelif in the past, posted on X: "Have a lot of people texting me over Imane Khelif. Personally I don’t think she has done anything to ‘cheat’. I thinks it’s the way she was born and that’s out of her control. The fact that she has been beaten by nine females before says it all."

Khelif has also had plenty of backing from her homeland with several Algerian public figures posting messages of support on social media. After Elon Musk had reposted a critical tweet, the footballer Adlene Guedioura replied: "Imane Khelif is our Algerian pride she's an excellent boxer and you should verify first before relaying wrong information. Thank you."

The British broadcaster and boxing writer Steve Bunce described the situation as an "absolute disaster" for Olympic boxing but expressed sympathy for Khelif.

He told the BBC: "I think it has hurt Olympic boxing at a crucial time where its future is still being discussed. It's an absolute disaster. What's interesting is in the build up to the fight, some of her old opponents, good fighters, world champions and European champions, have said [Khelif] is not a cheat.

"She's not a devastating puncher, that is only her fifth stoppage. Carini, I feel for her absolutely, but you have to feel a little bit for Khelif, she's stuck in the middle of something here that's absolutely devastating and it's not over yet."