'Darkest day of Olympics': Harbhajan Singh Also Gets Into Debate of Imane Khelif vs Angela Carini

The Paris Olympics are in full swing and in between the normalcy, i.e., wins and losses, controversy has marred the games. After raising eyebrows with the "Last Supper" act in the opening ceremony, this time the wrangling tensions arise from the boxing ring. On Day 6, an Italian boxer, Angela Carini opted out of her bout against Algeria's Imane Khelif after just 46 seconds into the fight. The reason behind exiting was not any injury or any discomfort, rather, Carini voluntarily quit because she felt that she was a part of an unfair contest. The Algerian boxer has in the past come under the scanner for possessing testosterone levels like that of a male. And after abandoning the fight Carini complained that she hadn't been hit this hard in the past and decided to opt out to "preserve her life."

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Harbhajan Singh Calls It Unfair

As the episode came to light, IOC was heavily blasted from the sporting fraternity throughout the world. Athletes and individuals from different walks of life voiced their concerns over the matter, labelling it as the "darkest day of the Olympics." Former India cricketer, Harbhajan Singh also paid heed to the matter and defined it is completely "unfair." Singh opined that the IOC need to review what has transpired and take appropriate action.

"This is UNFAIR in my view Olympics Needs to review this incident/match"

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IOC & Paris Olympics Boxing Unit Defend Their Selection Process, Express Discontent Over Abuse Towards Imane Khelif

Following the contentious boxing match between Italy's Angela Carini and Algeria's Imane Khelif, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed their eligibility and entry requirements for the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics Boxing Competition. They also condemned the criticism which has been directed at Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting after the controversial incident.  

“Every person has the right to practise sport without discrimination. All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU) (please find all applicable rules here). As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport.