The International Boxing Association (IBA) has decided to award Angela Carini a $50000 reward after the Italian boxer was knocked out of the Round of 16 by Imane Khelif. In May, the IBA announced that they’d award boxers who finish 5th or better at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
IBA vs IOC
The uncanny thing is that Carini will be awarded the same amount as a Paris Olympics gold medalist. Why is the IBA doing so? The boxing federation had banned Khelif before she played the final at the 2023 World Championships for failing to meet gender eligibility criteria. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) didn’t agree with the IBA’s ruling and took away their international recognition last year.
To retaliate, IBA has awarded Carini, her coach, and the Italian federation a total compensation of $100,000. Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova, who lost in the Round of 16 to Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei, another banned boxer, will be awarded the same sum as well.
‘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.’ IBA President Umar Kremlev said in a statement.
Due to this tiff between the IOC and IBA, Boxing is being organized by a temporary committee at the Paris Olympics. The IOC doesn’t agree with the decision to ban Khelif or Yu-ting and has defended its decision to allow them to compete in Paris. While IBA has doubled down by awarding the opponents to lose to these two ‘banned’ boxers, If the stalemate doesn’t stop, the sport might cease to exist at the next Olympics (Los Angeles 2028).
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