Irish boxer Amy Broadhurst has publicly supported Algerian boxer Imane Khelif following her controversial match against Angela Carini at the Olympics. Broadhurst, a five-time European Champion, took to social media to address the heated discussions surrounding Khelif, firmly rejecting claims that her former opponent is a “cheat.”
Having defeated Khelif in the gold medal match at the World Championships in 2022, the Dundalk native shared her thoughts on X before the Carini bout, stating, “I have a lot of people texting me about Imane Khelif. Personally, I don’t think she has done anything to ‘cheat’. It’s the way she was born, and that’s out of her control. The fact that she has been beaten by nine females before says it all.”
After the bout, Broadhurst posted a clip of her victory over Khelif, prompting her followers with the question, “Thoughts after watching this?” She urged her audience again to refrain from directing hate towards Khelif.
Carini left the ring after just 46 seconds of the fight due to a suspected broken nose from a right hook thrown by Khelif. Khelif had previously failed a gender eligibility test at last year’s World Championships, resulting in her disqualification from competing in a gold medal match in Delhi. However, she was permitted to participate in the Olympic Games.
The Algerian Olympic Committee condemned the criticism aimed at Khelif, stating: “COA strongly condemns the unethical targeting and maligning of our esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif, with baseless propaganda from certain foreign media outlets. Such attacks on her personality and dignity are deeply unfair, especially as she prepares for the pinnacle of her career at the Olympics. The COA has taken all necessary measures to protect our champion.”
Following the fight, Carini indicated that she had come to “honour her father” but admitted she had “never been punched so hard.”
Khelif is one of two boxers competing in the Olympics despite their previous disqualification from last year’s Women’s World Championships for failing to meet eligibility criteria. Another boxer, Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, was stripped of bronze at the championships but has also been allowed to compete at the Olympics.
The IOC defended their decision to permit both athletes to fight, asserting that all boxers competing in the event meet the necessary eligibility requirements.
Credit: Joe Sports
