Angela Carini offered prize money by IBA after withdrawing during Paris Olympics bout against Imane Khelif

Angela Carini, the Italian boxer who forfeited her fight against Algeria's Imane Khelif at the Paris Olympics, will be awarded by the International Boxing Association (IBA). She will receive the same amount as an Olympic champion.

Carini, 25, faced off against Imane Khelif on Thursday, August 1 for the round of 16 welterweight matchup. However, after 30 seconds in the match, Carini went to her coach to get her head gear fixed, where the two had a brief discussion, and after 46 seconds, the Italian boxer decided to abandon the bout. Carini later said that she had never been hit so hard and that her nose and face were hurting badly, as per Gazzetta dello Sport.

Khelif became the center of controversy at the Paris Olympics as she was one of the two boxers who were handed a disqualification by the International Boxing Association (IBA) for reportedly failing their eligibility test at the 2023 World Championships. However, the IOC allowed Khelif to participate in the Paris Games as she met the organization's eligibility criteria.

In a recent development on the incident, the International Boxing Association has decided to award Angela Carini with the amount equivalent to an Olympic gold medalist despite her withdrawal from the match. In a statement released on Friday, Umar Kremlev, the President of IBA, stated (via IBA's website):

"‘I couldn’t look at her tears. I am not indifferent to such situations, and I can assure that we will protect each boxer. I do not understand why they kill women’s boxing. Only eligible athletes should compete in the ring for the sake of safety."

As per IBA's website, the organization is offering $100,000 to the Olympic champions, out of which $50,000 goes to the athlete, with the athlete's national federation and the coach receiving $25,000 each.

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Angela Carini apologises to Imane Khelif

IBA Women's World Boxing Championships Istanbul 2022 âââââââ - Source: Getty

After her bout against Imane Khelif, Angela Carini left the ring in tears without shaking hands with the Algerian. However, the Italian boxer has now offered an apology to her counterpart for not congratulating her after the match.

In her apology, Carini said (via Gazzetta dello Sport, as quoted by the BBC):

"All this controversy makes me sad. I'm sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision."

Regarding not shaking hands with her, she said,

"It wasn't something I intended to do."

She further apologized to the fans and everyone else for leaving the ring in anger, as she was upset because her Paris Olympics campaign ended on a poor note.