Caitlyn Jenner wades into Imane Khelif row as former Olympian makes stance clear on Paris boxing controversy
Caitlyn Jenner has branded Imane Khelif's participation at the Olympics as 'shameful'
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Former Olympic gold medal winner Caitlyn Jenner has branded Imane Khelif's participation at the 2024 Paris Olympics as "shameful" in a blistering social media post.
The Algerian boxer, 25, has hit headlines in the past few weeks due to her participation at the games despite being banned from last year's world championships.
Khelif was given the green light to box at this year's Olympics by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) who are overseeing the sport - not the former governing body, the International Boxing Association (IBA), who disqualified her.
The Algerian had previously failed a gender eligibility test ahead of last year's world championships, with the IBA insisting Khelif and one other athlete "did not meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors".
However, the IOC has different rules than the IBA and allowed Khelif to compete at the Paris games but her first bout on Thursday against Italian Angela Carini was marred in controversy.
Carini abandoned the fight before the minute mark after receiving a blow to the face from Khelif. She stated afterward the decision was "to preserve my life".
Imane Khelif was announced the winner after her bout with Italy's Carini
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Khelif was announced as the victor of the bout while Carini was left inconsolable and in tears in the middle of the ring once the decision was made.
Following the bout, complaints from far and wide have rained in regarding Khelif's participation at the Olympics, with the IOC's decision coming under heavy scrutiny.
The likes of JK Rowling, Nicola Adams, Piers Morgan and more have publicly criticised Khelif's participation due to her heightened testosterone levels and previously failed gender eligibility test.
On Thursday, in response to Rowling's statement on the matter, Jenner followed suit as she wrote on X: "This is shameful!
Angela Carini broke down in tears in the ring after the bout
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"SHAME ON THE IOC! No men in women’s sports!" the former Olympian concluded.
She also shared a photo of a tearful Carini speaking to the media after the bout and launched an attack on presidential hopeful Kamala Harris in the process.
The former I'm A Celeb star commented: "Where is the outrage from the pro-woman @VP Harris??
"I’ve been fighting this and shouting it from the rooftops for 4 years now - well before we all watched the famous swimmer example. This is exactly why Harris / Biden erased women from title IX and the IOC allowed this. SHAME!"
Carini had her say soon after the bout, telling BBC Sport: "I wasn't able to finish the match.
"I felt a strong pain to my nose and I said [to myself] for the experience that I have and the maturity as a woman that I have, I said I hope my nation won't take it badly, I hope my dad won't take it badly - but I stopped, I said stop for myself.
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Where is the outrage from the pro-woman @VP Harris??
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) August 1, 2024
I’ve been fighting this and shouting it from the rooftops for 4 years now - well before we all watched the famous swimmer example. This is exactly why. Harris / Biden erased women from title IX and the IOC allowed this. SHAME! pic.twitter.com/YGMXRbcXHR
"It could have been the match of a lifetime, but I had to preserve my life as well in that moment.
"I didn't have fear, I don't fear the ring. I don't fear taking the blows. But this time there's an end for everything, and I put an end to this match, because I wasn't able to [continue]."
Khelif ignored the controversy when speaking to the BBC afterward, stating: "I'm here for the gold.
"I fight everybody."