The Paris Olympics women's boxing tournament faced renewed scrutiny on Thursday when Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won a bout in the 66-kilogram division against Italy's Angela Carini. The match ended abruptly after just 46 seconds when Carini abandoned the fight, leaving the ring in tears.

IOC spokesperson Mark Adams stated, "Everyone competing in the women's category is complying with the competition eligibility rules. They are women in their passports and it's stated that this is the case, that they are female."

The Algerian Olympic Committee strongly defended Khelif, stating, it "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."

Carini, visibly distressed after the match, explained her decision to quit: "I got into the ring to fight. I didn't give up, but one punch hurt too much and so I said enough. I'm going out with my head held high."

Her coach, Emanuele Renzini, added context to Carini's decision: "It would have been easier not to show up, because all of Italy had been asking her not to fight for days. But Angela was motivated and wanted to do it. Of course, when she met her opponent at the draw, she said 'it's not fair.' But there was no premeditation here today. She quit after taking one punch, she told me she didn't feel she could fight."

The incident has reignited discussions about gender eligibility in sports, with various commenters offering differing perspectives on the fairness of allowing men in women's sports.