Earlier today, David looked at the results of the first boxing match at the Olympic Games in Paris where a man was allowed to fight a woman because he "identifies" as being female. This is a subject that we previewed at length here yesterday. Unfortunately, the fight was allowed to proceed and Imane Khelif was matched up against female Italian boxer Angela Carini. As predicted by many, including yours truly, the fight didn't even last one minute into the first round. The referee declared a technical knockout after 46 seconds. Kheif came out and hit Carini so hard that her headgear was dislodged by the first blow. The second sent her to her knees. She could be seen crying after the results were declared, saying that she had never been hit so hard in her life. Somehow Kheif was still awarded the victory and recorded his first "win" in Olympic women's boxing. (NY Post)

Imane Khelif‘s first fight will do nothing to calm the controversy around the boxer’s entrance into the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Khelif, an Algerian who failed gender eligibility tests at the 2023 World Championships, forced her Italian opponent, Angela Carini, to withdraw from their opening-round bout in 46 seconds Thursday.

A furious Carini was left in tears and retreated to her corner after getting hit twice in the face by Khelif.

She yelled “this is unjust” at her corner and slammed her headgear on the canvas as the match in the 66-kilogram division was called off.

Carini refused a handshake from Khelif and would not hold the referee's hand while her opponent's hand was raised into the air. This would normally be considered poor sportsmanship, but in this case, can you really blame her? There are so many things going so horribly wrong in this situation that it's hard to know where to begin. First of all, I'm a little disappointed in the New York Post for bowing to the demands of the mob and referring to Imane Khelif using female pronouns. He's not a female. He's a dude beating up a girl. The IBA knew it. That's why he was disqualified from the world championships along with Lin Yu-ting, who is also a dude. The Post should know better.

The fight never should have gone forward. Khelif should not have been allowed to set foot in the ring. It's just an amazing stroke of luck that Angela Carini wasn't more seriously injured. We may not be so lucky next time and the results will land on the shoulders of the Olympic Committee.

Even if the IOC is failing these women, where is the support they should be receiving from the rest of the actual women in the competition? If the match could not be stopped, they should have either boycotted the event or, when Khelif was having his hand raised, they should have all turned their backs on the ring in solidarity with Carini. They should all be out there giving interviews to every news outlet willing to let them speak, highlighting what a disgrace these games have become. 

Speaking of the IBA, they haven't had a lot to say about this horrid spectacle either. They posted to Twitter saying that they felt it was appropriate "to address recent media statements" regarding the two men in the competition. But then they simply released the same statement they issued last year after Khelif and Yu-ting were disqualified from their tournament. I suppose we can interpret that as being somewhat supportive of Carini and whoever the next victims of these men in women's clothing turn out to be, but they really could and should have come out more forcefully. They did the right thing last year and they would have nothing to lose by doing it again now.

This madness has to end. What is it going to take for the IOC to wake up? Will some innocent woman have to literally die in the ring before they put an end to this? Allowing men to compete in any women's sports is unfair, but allowing them to compete in women's boxing, wrestling, or judo is simply dangerous and potentially fatal.