Italian prime minister georgia meloni

Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni: The International Boxing Association (IBA) have announced that it would award Italy's Angela Carini $50,000 in prize money after she withdrew from her welterweight round-of-16 bout against Algerian Imane Khelif at the Paris Olympics.

The match, which lasted only 46 seconds, saw Carini overwhelmed by Khelif's aggressive punches, leading to her early exit. The IBA, stripped of its international recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) last year, also stated that Carini's federation and coach would receive $25,000 each.

The incident has ignited a broader controversy over gender eligibility in sports. Khelif, alongside Taiwan's double world champion Lin Yu-ting, was cleared to compete in Paris despite both athletes being disqualified at the 2023 World Championships for failing the IBA's eligibility rules. These rules prohibit athletes with male XY chromosomes from competing in women's events.