Piers Morgan Outraged After Italian Boxer Quits Olympics Following Bout with Algerian Athlete “I’ve Never Taken a Punch Like That”
TalkTV presenter Piers Morgan expressed outrage to his eight million followers after Italian boxer Angela Carini felt forced to quit the Olympic Games following a fight against Algerian transgender athlete Imane Khelif, told The Express.
The bout, lasting only 46 seconds, ended with Carini on her knees in tears. The 25-year-old Italian refused to shake hands with her competitor after receiving just two punches from Khelif, who had been previously banned from a major boxing contest due to failing testosterone tests.
Carini, devastated by the outcome, said, “I’ve never taken a punch like that. It’s impossible to continue.” She added, “I’m used to suffering. I got into the ring to fight. But I didn’t feel like it anymore after the first minute. I started to feel a strong pain in my nose. I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much, so I said enough. I’m leaving with my head held high”, told The New York Post.
Khelif, also 25, was excluded from the world championships last year after failing testosterone tests that determine gender qualification. After the fight, she commented, “God willing, this was the first victory. God is willing me to be the golden one.” The Algerian Boxing Federation congratulated her on Facebook after the match.
Piers Morgan, showing empathy for Carini, tweeted, “So disgusting. I once asked our new Sports Minister @lisanandy if she would be happy for Floyd Mayweather to identify as a woman and compete in the Olympics against women, and she refused to say it would be wrong/unfair. Be interested to hear her response to this…”
While Lisa Nandy MP has not responded to Morgan’s comment, many of his followers expressed their opinions on the fight, calling it “unfair.” The Sports Minister has remained silent on this specific match but has been active on social media about the Paris Olympics. On July 28, she tweeted, “Every one of our @TeamGB athletes started their journey at local, grassroots facilities. Their achievements will inspire the next generation of stars – and this Government is ready to match their ambition.” She also congratulated Team GB medal winners on the opening day of the games.
Former Prime Minister Liz Truss also criticized the match, writing, “When will this madness stop? Men cannot become women. Why is the British Government not objecting to this?”
Renowned author JK Rowling added her voice to the controversy, stating, “What will it take to end this insanity? A female boxer left with life-altering injuries? A female boxer killed?”
The debate over the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports continues to evoke strong reactions from both supporters and critics, highlighting the complexities and challenges in achieving fair competition.