«Imane Khelif is a woman and has competed for six years at an international level» .
This was said by the president of the IOC, Thomas Bach, who met Giorgia Meloni and the president of the CONI Giovanni Malagò today in Paris .
«It was a positive meeting, we also talked about the Carini case. We agreed to stay in touch to 'welcome' the same scientific background and make the situation more understandable because she is a woman and has been competing for six years at the international level . We share points of view and we agree on clarifying and improving the scientific background we talked about", declared Bach in the aftermath of the controversial match in which the Italian boxer Angela Carini retired against her hyper androgynous rival Imane Khelif, Algerian.
Malagò also admits a certain "institutional embarrassment" after the controversies raised by the government.
«Coni's position is to protect and defend Angela. I spoke to us weeks ago and for days, after the draw, we have been discussing the match against this talked about boxer", declared Giovanni Malagò , president of CONI, speaking on Sportface TV in the program "Face to Face - Olympic Edition".
«I, first verbally then in a light but formal way and finally with an official protest, wrote a letter to protect the athlete Angela Carini asking about the rumors and what the situation was - explained Malagò guest, by Giorgia Rossi and Giuseppe Pastore -. Also people should know that the International Boxing Association (IBA) was placed under administration a year and a half ago. All the top management was removed and it was taken under the aegis of the IOC with an independent third body."
Again: «What is the theme? If one is based on aesthetic aspects it is clear that the reflections are very common and similar. The Algerian didn't have the first match of her life today, she's been on the boxing circuit for at least 8-9 years. She was Algeria's flag bearer in Oran at the Mediterranean Games. He won the African Championships, but in 2017 he made the World Championships and in 2021 the Tokyo Olympics without medaling. She has a passport, which I don't have to judge, which declares that she is a woman. Then it is right that everyone makes their own considerations, but what I say is not to replace the profession of others. Ten people representing a scientific commission recently evaluated and tested the hormonal values of this athlete."
(Unioneonline/L)
