Italian boxer Angela Carini says she faced waves of online abuse after quitting Olympic bout
Carini posted screenshots of messages and accused critics of damaging her career after exiting a 46-second fight with Algeria’s Imane Khelif at the Paris Games
Angela Carini, the Italian boxer who left the ring after 46 seconds in a preliminary match at the Paris Olympics, said on Thursday she has received sustained online abuse in the months since the bout.
In an Instagram video Carini published, the 26-year-old shared screenshots of messages she said she received after she quit the bout against Algeria’s Imane Khelif and a voiceover describing how the attacks affected her. Some messages begged her not to return to the Olympics, the video showed, while others called her a “coward” and “the shame of the Italy team.”
Carini said the abuse compounded the physical and emotional toll of the match, which drew global attention after images of Khelif’s punches circulated widely and the Italian left the ring in tears. Khelif went on to win the women’s 66kg gold medal at the Paris Games. Carini told viewers she has tried to shield herself from the barrage of comments and preserve her health amid “a stupid social network.”
The match and its aftermath ignited debate about gender eligibility in women’s sport. The International Boxing Association (IBA) has previously said Khelif failed a gender eligibility test and IBA President Umar Kremlev later sought to have her Olympic gold stripped, citing unpublished DNA results the IBA said showed XY chromosomes. Khelif has denied being transgender.
The International Olympic Committee defended the Paris results, saying Khelif and another athlete were the victims of what it called a “sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA.” World Boxing, the sport’s international governing body, adopted a new policy in August introducing mandatory sex testing for female-category competitors; Khelif has appealed that policy, which would bar her from competition while testing proceeds. New IOC president Kirsty Coventry has formed a task force to examine gender eligibility issues.
The controversy drew attention from political leaders as well. Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly commented on the episode, and the bout prompted wider discussion among athletes, officials and advocates about fairness and safety in women’s sports.
Carini said the incident has damaged her career and left lasting wounds. “That past that marked my life. That past that left wounds inside me that I try to heal day after day,” she said in the video, adding that the episode had “changed and destroyed my career, built year after year with sacrifices, dedication, tenacity and a lot of passion.”
Despite the fallout, Carini returned to competition in December, winning her eighth Italian title and a gold medal at the World Boxing Cup in Poland. She cited those results as evidence of her resilience but said the online harassment has continued. “Have you ever wondered how hard it was for me to face these words? What I had to endure and endure day after day?” she asked in the video.
Carini closed the clip by urging reflection rather than revenge, saying she did not expect her remarks to change the world but hoped they might prompt people to consider the impact of their words.
Officials and governing bodies continue to navigate appeals, testing protocols and policy changes as the sport responds to the fallout from the Paris Games. Carini’s public account of the social-media messages adds a personal dimension to an ongoing debate about athlete eligibility, safety and the role of public scrutiny in elite sport.