Boxer at the centre of gender row wins fight in 46 seconds

Algerian Imane Khelif moved past Angela Carini when the Italian surprisingly abandoned their welterweight round of 16 fight after 46 seconds in the first round, feeling pain in her nose.

Khelif has been in the spotlight since being disqualified before a gold medal match at the 2023 World Championships for failing International Boxing Association (IBA) eligibility rules that stop athletes with XY chromosomes competing in women's events.

She was ruled eligible, however, to compete in Paris, a competition run by the International Olympic Committee.

Khelif has previously fought, and been beaten by Kellie Harrington and Amy Broadhurst.

Harrington met Khelif at the 2021 Games in Tokyo, beating her in the quarter-finals, on her way to gold in the women's lightweight, while Broadhurst defeated the Algerian in the final of the IBA-organised 2022 World Championships in Istanbul.

Broadhurst has defended Khelif's right to compete, writing 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 & that’s out of her control. The fact that she has been beating (sic) by 9 females before says it all."

Khelif entered the packed North Paris arena amid loud cheers from fans waving Algeria flags, and the Italian was instantly no match for her opponent's speed and longer reach.

Carini, who is six centimetres shorter than the Algerian, went to her coach after 30 seconds to fix her headgear but after briefly resuming the fight she returned to her corner and stopped and quickly left the ring.

"I have always honoured my country with loyalty," Carini said with tears in her eyes. "This time I didn't succeed because I couldn't fight anymore.

"I put an end to the