Angela Carini to be awarded prize money by IBA despite Olympic loss to Imane Khelif

The International Boxing Association claims it will award Angela Carini the prize money she would have won had she become Olympic champion.

Italian Carini abandoned her fight with Algeria’s Imane Khelif, the athlete at the centre of a gender eligibility storm at Paris 2024, after just 46 seconds.

Carini, who was in floods of tears afterwards, said she was unable to continue for fears of her safety.

IBA will award Angela Carini, who abandoned the fight against Algeria’s Imane Khelif at Paris 2024 Games after 46 seconds of the first round, the IBA prize money as if she were an Olympic champion, President Umar Kremlev claimed. https://t.co/4mtBGpZk92

— IBA (@IBA_Boxing) August 2, 2024

She said: “It hurt so much. 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.”

The IBA recently announced plans to award any boxers who win a gold medal at the Games $50,000 (€45,000).

Now its president, Umar Kremlev, has waded into the row.

“I couldn’t look at her tears,” Kremlev said in a statement. “I am not indifferent to such situations and I can assure that we will protect each boxer.

“I do not understand why they kill women’s boxing. Only eligible athletes should compete in the ring for the sake of safety.”

Khelif is one of two fighters, along with Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei, who were disqualified from last year’s World Championships for failing to meet gender eligibility criteria.

However, the IBA, which carried out the tests in 2023, was stripped as the global governing body for boxing in June last year by the International Olympic Committee, which is administering the sport in Paris and has defended