Italian boxer Angela Carini, who abandoned her Olympic bout against Algeria's Imane Khelif inside 46 seconds, says she "wants to apologise" to her opponent for how she handled the moments after the fight.

Khelif is one of two athletes who have been cleared to compete in the women's boxing in Paris, despite having been disqualified from last year's Women's World Championships for failing to meet eligibility criteria.

The 25-year-old's participation in the Games has proved controversial, leading the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to defend her right to compete.

"All this controversy makes me sad," Carini told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I'm sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision."

Carini, also 25, said abandoning the fight had been a mature step to take, but she expressed regret at not shaking hands with Khelif afterwards.

"It wasn't something I intended to do," Carini said. "Actually, I want to apologise to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke."

She added that if she met Khelif again, she would "embrace her".

After taking a punch to the face inside 30 seconds during Thursday's fight, Carini went to the corner for her coach to fix her headgear. After briefly resuming, she returned to her corner once more and stopped the fight.

Carini later told BBC Sport: "It could have been the match of a lifetime, but I had to preserve my life as well in that moment."

The Russia-led International Boxing Association (IBA), which carried out the tests last year, said Khelif "failed to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women's competition, as set and laid out in the IBA regulations".

Khelif has always competed in the women's division and is recognised by the IOC as a female athlete.

"The Algerian boxer was born female, was registered female, lived her life as a female, boxed as a female, has a female passport," IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said on Friday.

Later on Friday, the IBA president Umar Kremlev said his organisation would offer Carini $100,000 (£78,000) - which is the prize money it is offering gold medallists at the Games. That money would be split with half going to the boxer, a quarter to her trainer and a quarter to her federation.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/articles/c2j3jg51rg4o?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bbbc.news.twitter%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_link_type=web_link&at_format=link&at_link_origin=BBCWorld&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_medium=social&at_link_id=14F2574C-50DC-11EF-8E73-BC6D690651B6&at_campaign_type=owned&at_ptr_name=twitter&s=09

Imagine the damage done already..A sore loser like Carini who couldn't take a punch from a fellow woman and resorted to cheap propaganda is now apologising. Apologise for what? The same person she accused of being biological male has lost around 9 games in the past.

WTF?!

One punch to the face and this bitch RAN away and started whining to every news media. Just ONE punch?

What a WEAK loser!

What did she think she was in for? Beauty pageants?

Very stupid girl!

It's was her facial reaction for me after receiving massive punches. She looked like she misplaced her intestines 😅😅

Mk both Carini and Khelif getat!!!!

There's something I don't understand,why Nigeria is 63 but Nigeria president is 95 years old

She couldn't last beyond 46secs vs a fellow female fighter and ran away

My worry tho is that, she kept hammering on how she "ran away to protect her life"... Meaning she was scared she'd lose her life if she continued

OnionBandit:
Imagine the damage done already..A sore loser like Carini who couldn't take a punch from a fellow woman and resorted to cheap propaganda is now apologising. Apologise for what? The same person she accused of being biological male has lost around 9 games in the past.

Omo, she almost wan deaf from the Algerian blow. She come get sense, advice herself correctly

Na man beat you

Apology unaccepted

The same way you will apologise if you don't take advantage of our IELTS package.....search for a better life for you and your family


Contact us through our siggy below .....Cheers !!!!

She lost 6 career fight so far… so I believe it was a couple of women that beat her so no complain… her next opponent should trained weller

Lmao 🤣 🤣

She took a wise decision.It is better to be a living coward than a dead brave.
Apologies accepted.

princepeter566:
There's something I don't understand,why Nigeria is 63 but Nigeria president is 95 years old

It's sad they had to dig out her childhood pictures to prove her innocence

LOSERS Always complain


Like APC starting from Buhari to tinubu

Lol

im confused tho..but the algerian opponent looks female

OnionBandit:
Imagine the damage done already..A sore loser like Carini who couldn't take a punch from a fellow woman and resorted to cheap propaganda is now apologising. Apologise for what? The same person she accused of being biological male has lost around 9 games in the past.

She took the shine away from the poor Algerian. Very selfish being, they always look for a way to water down the wins especially when it is coming from Africa.

I'm glad this is playing out. People like to feed on false alarms. Emotions drive people too much. They'll see news and start running their mouths without making deep research. Now, someone is falsely labelled by someone got her ass whooped.

Khelif has a record of 37-9, which means she has lost 9 bouts in her career. Yet, Carini would have us believe that she is a man, and can't be beaten by a woman.

Na now the blow/punch clear for her eyes

Why are they offering carini the same prize money as the medalists? It doesn't make sense. Infact why are they offering her money at all?

Foolish Italian victim crying lazy ass

saddler:


Na now the blow/punch clear for her eyes

😂

Punch na your mate

Apology gbu ogi there! If Imane does not sue her she Bleep-up

Hh