Tesla CEO Elon Musk has backed Italian boxer Angela Carini after her loss to Algerian fighter Imane Khelif at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday. The bout lasted only 46 seconds as Carini withdrew from the contest after she was struck multiple times in the face. The Italian boxer, on her knees, sobbed in the middle of the ring after the defeat. She did not shake hands with Khelif, who made her place in the quarterfinals of the category following the match.
Musk retweeted an X post by American swimmer Riley Gaines who wrote, "Men don't belong in women's sports #IStandWithAngelaCarini.”
“Absolutely,” Musk wrote in a retweet of Gaines' initial message.
In another post, Musk dared Kamala Harris to comment on the controversy. "Kamala Harris supports this... Vote accordingly," an X user wrote to which Musk replied, "True or let her deny it."
Italy's Prime Minister Georgian Meloni also reacted to Angela Carini's defeat and said that it "was not an even contest".
"I have a big pain in my nose and I said, 'Stop'. It's better to avoid keeping going. My nose started dripping (with blood) from the first hit," Carini said.
Khelif was cleared to take part in the Olympics despite getting disqualified from the 2023 women's world championships after she reportedly failed the gender eligibility tests.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s decision to permit Khelif to compete has led to criticism from former female boxing champions, including Claressa Shields and Ebanie Bridges.
The IOC allowed two boxers to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics despite failing the gender eligibility tests for the World Boxing Championships last year.
In 2023, the Algerian boxer suffered disqualification hours before the gold medal match at the women's World Championships. Khelif was reportedly disqualified for a high level of testosterone in her system.
