Italian premier urges fairness in women's sports after Italian boxer defeated by Algerian

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed concern Thursday for the participation of athletes with male genetic characteristics in women's competitions.

"I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women's competitions," Meloni was quoted by the Italian news agency, ANSA. "And not because you want to discriminate against someone, but to protect the right of female athletes to be able to compete on equal terms."

Her comments were made after Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew from her Olympics match in Paris after suffering powerful punches by her Algerian opponent, Imane Khelif, who previously failed a gender eligibility test.

The bout between Carini and Khelif ended dramatically 46 seconds after it started.

Khelif, whose participation at the Games was sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) despite past controversies, delivered multiple blows before landing a powerful right to Carini's nose.

The Italian boxer, visibly shaken, raised her hand and returned to her corner, prompting her manager to signal her withdrawal from the welterweight round of 16 bout.

A distraught Carini fell to her knees in the ring, sobbing and declining to shake Khelif's hand after the referee declared the Algerian the winner.

"I am a fighter. My father taught me to be a warrior. When I am in the ring, I use that mindset, the mindset of a warrior, a winning mindset," Carini told reporters after abandoning the bout. "This time I couldn’t make it. I didn’t lose tonight, I just surrendered with maturity."