Strong criticism from Italy for the fight between Angela Carini and boxer Imane Khelif, who failed gender eligibility tests

Imane Khelif was one of the athletes who received the required clearance to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympics, despite failing gender eligibility tests. The boxer continues to compete in the sport and their next fight was to be against the Italian Angela Carini, who has preferred to abandon the fight. A duel that had raised numerous criticisms from the Italian government.

The Italian vice-president, Matteo Salvini, received numerous attacks for stating that this fight "is madness." Salvini had to retract his words forced by "the hypocrisy of political correctness."

The Minister of Sport, Andrea Abodi, also spoke out: "I find it hard to understand that there is no alignment in the parameters of minimum hormonal values at the international level, which includes, therefore, the Euro, the World Cup and the Olympic Games. At the event, which represents the highest values of sport, it must be possible to ensure the safety of male and female athletes, as well as respect for fair competition from a competitive point of view. Tomorrow this will not be the case for Angela Carini."

Salvini and Abodi were not the only members of Giorgia Meloni's cabinet to speak out regarding Khelif's participation. Health Minister Orazio Schillaci said that "it is important to consider the different levels of force that will confront each other in the ring," while Equality Minister Eugenia Roccella pointed out the fact that "no safe, rigorous and uniform criteria at the international level is risky for one of the contenders."

In addition to Khelif, Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting also failed gender eligibility tests. Despite this, they are allowed to participate in the women's categories of the Paris 2024 Olympics.