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The 2024 Paris Olympics have been full of memorable moments, but not without their share of controversies. One of the most talked-about incidents is the dispute between boxers Imane Khelif and Angela Carini, which has sparked reactions from tennis stars including Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Andrey Rublev and Nick Kyrgios.
On Thursday, August 1, Algeria's Khelif and Italy's Carini faced off in a highly anticipated welterweight showdown in the Round of 16. The match ended abruptly in just 46 seconds, with the former delivering a punch that forced the latter to quit and break down in tears.
The victory has sparked controversy, with critics alleging that Khelif is a trans woman. However, there is no evidence to support this claim. Some of the voices in the debate include prominent tennis figures, whose comments we will explore in this article.
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#5 Aryna Sabalenka's fitness coach Jason Stacy
World No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka's fitness coach, Jason Stacy, typically keeps a low profile but has offered a strong opinion on the Imane Khelif-Angela Carini controversy at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Stacy described it as a "dangerous injustice" to allow Khelif to compete against Carini. He added that while he prefers to stay out of political debates, his main concern is the well-being of the "amazing" female athletes he has had the "honor of supporting."
"How much longer do we need to watch women and girls lose all hope!!! As a father and a coach, I will never stand for any of this dangerous injustice!!!" Stacy wrote via Instagram Stories.
"I truly don't care about your politics!!!!!!!!!!! I care for and LOVE my daughters!!! And all the amazing female athletes I've had the honour of supporting," he added.
#4 Boris Becker and Nick Kyrgios
Boris Becker and Nick Kyrgios are two other prominent names who have weighed in on the topic. Both are known for their candid and unfiltered opinions, never hesitating to voice their views.
Harry Potter-famed author J. K. Rowling reposted a video of Angela Carini being punched by Imane Khelif on X (formerly Twitter). She criticized the organizers for permitting a "man" to compete against a "woman," calling it a form of cheating.
"Watch this (whole thread), then explain why you’re OK with a man beating a woman in public for your entertainment. This isn’t sport. From the bullying cheat in red all the way up to the organisers who allowed this to happen, this is men revelling in their power over women," she wrote in the caption.
Becker retweeted Rowling's post, writing:
"Word."
Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios reposted an old clip of a fight won by Khelif on the same social media platform, adding in the caption:
"Cooked."
#3 Andrey Rublev
World No. 8 Andre Rublev also voiced his concerns, taking to his Instagram Stories to share his disappointment.
The Russian posted a lengthy message criticizing the incident and expressed his dismay at seeing a "man" hitting a woman at the Olympics. He said he found it troubling that such an incident could occur on such a significant stage and felt it was unacceptable.
"People are fighting against violence, against home violence, against violence towards woman, against kids violence, against all kind of violence. The way I grew up, since I was a kid, is that I was taught to protect women. No matter what the situation is with a woman, nothing can be worst for a man than hurting a wowan physically," Rublev wrote.
"And now on the biggest and most important sports event: Olympic Games, we see how a man who identifies himself as a woman is hitting 2 women (saying it's equal rights boxing) and no one is stopping this," he added.
Rublev also extended his deep condolences to Angela Carini, but later deleted his post.
"If a man would identify himself as a kid, would they let him compete on a kids boxing tournament? This is something I will never understand. I feel really sorry for the Italian athlete who was preparing for a long time for this moment," he wrote.
However, Andre Rublev quickly addressed the deletion of his post during a conversation with the media, apologizing for not verifying the facts before sharing his initial comments.
"I decided to post it because, first of all, I wanted to make an opinion that I'm against women's violence, any towards women. And I did that post. So it was nothing against anyone, it was just that I was against violence towards women," the 26-year-old said.
"It was my bad-I didn't check enough all the information, all the news. So sorry and I want to apologize that I didn't check that information, and that's why I take it out," he added.
#2 Chris Evert and Andy Murray's mother Judy
Andy Murray's mother, Judy, and 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert were also outspoken in their disapproval. Judy took to X to assert that such an incident should never have occurred and called for the reinstatement of swab tests to ensure "fairness and safety" for biological women in the sport.
"This should never have been allowed to happen. Bring back the swab test. Sport has to be fair and safe for biological women," Judy Murray wrote.
Evert shared the veteran coach’s post, highlighting a picture where Khelif is seen raising her hand in victory while Carini’s head is down after retiring from the match.
"This picture says it all," the American wrote in the caption.
Evert also shared a post featuring Australia's boxing captain, Caitlin Parker, speaking out against the inclusion of trans women in biological women's sports, writing:
"Me neither…."
#1 Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova, a long-time critic of including trans athletes in biological women’s sports, did not hold back in her response to the Imane Khelif and Angela Carini controversy.
The Czech-born American fiercely criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC), accusing them of "abandoning fairness" in women’s sports.
"Deplorable. This will not end well for the people in power who allowed this to happen," she wrote on X.
"Nothing complex about xx or xy. The @iocmedia has completely abandoned fairness for women athletes. This must change and it must change from the top down- none of this- oh, let’s let individuals federations and sports decide. It must be uniform!" she added.
Navratilova also delivered a strong response to an X user who criticized her muscular appearance, writing:
"Masculine doesn’t mean male. I was Born a woman and am still a woman. And I worked my ass off for those muscles- even on the days when I felt like crap because I got my period. So yeah- a female. Try again."
Angela Carini has since issued an apology to Imane Khelif. She expressed regret over how she handled the situation after their bout, including not shaking hands, and acknowledged her dissatisfaction with the controversy that followed.
