PARIS: The International Boxing Association (IBA) has announced that it will award prize money to Italy’s Angela Carini, who lost her welterweight round-of-16 bout against Algerian Imane Khelif at the Paris Olympics in 46 seconds on Thursday. As per media reports, the player will receive $50,000 in prize money.
Angela Carini pulled out in the first round following Imane Khelif, who is at the heart of a gender row, beat the Italian with a barrage of punches.
The IBA, which was stripped of its global recognition by the IOC last year, stated Carini would receive $50,000.
IBA President Umar Kremlev said, “I do not understand why they killed women’s boxing, adding only eligible players must compete in the ring for the sake of safety.
Algeria’s Khelif, and Taiwan double world champion Lin Yu-ting, were cleared to compete in Paris despite being disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after failing IBA eligibility rules.
Italian PM Georgia Meloni, who met IOC top official Thomas Bach on Thursday, stated the Italian player had faced a boxer who had physical advantages and it was not a game between equals.
The IOC stated that the rules of eligibility were based on those of the Tokyo Games in 2021 and could not be altered during a competition.
