CONI President Giovanni Malagò also confirmed that a sometimes unbearable climate had been created around Angela Carini in the days leading up to the meeting with Imane Khelif. The Italian boxer received messages that put increasing pressure on her, putting her in an increasingly complicated situation to manage. Malagò had spoken to La Stampa about the pressure exerted by the IBA, the world boxing organisation chaired by Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev. Yesterday, 6 August, from Casa Italia to the Paris Olympics, Malagò corrected himself: it was not the IBA directly, but the organisation certainly overcame the fuss that broke out by “exploiting the case” and fuelling the conflict with the IOC, which had given the green light to the Algerian boxer to fight, unlike what had happened the previous year at the world championships managed by Iba herself.
Pressure on Carini
In the coming days, Carini herself could clarify what happened during those difficult days, if her long-awaited press conference finally takes place. There are several points to clarify in a story that involved “the whole boxing world”, as Carini's coach Emanuele Renzini had said. Repubblica reconstructs the chain of pressures suffered by Carini from July 26. The sender of this pressure is unknown, but the boxer herself reiterates that there was some pressure. That day comes the draw for the women's 66 kilo category. From that moment on, Carini tried to get in touch with someone from CONI.
The hoax alarm concerning Imane Khelif's man
As soon as he learned of the draw, coach Renzini described the Italian boxer's reaction. Having learned that her opponent would be Imane Khelif, she said: “It's not fair.” That afternoon, the 25-year-old Neapolitan was very agitated. When he managed to speak to CONI in the evening, he asked for help: “You have to help me. I'm fighting a man.” The person speaking to her was incredulous, she insisted: “Yes, I was told that my opponent is a man and for this reason she was disqualified by the federation.”
IOC Assurances
From the CONI, they contact the IOC to obtain clarification on the case of the Algerian boxer. The IOC confirms that “all the controls” have been carried out on Khelif. According to the International Olympic Committee, the Algerian would be “absolutely normal”, contrary to what the IBA claims. The IOC explains that Khelif has only been arrested once by the organization led by Russia, that is, before a final and after beating “a protégé of Kremlev”. From the documents of all the previous competitions in the women's tournaments, no irregularities emerge concerning Khelif as to whether he has the right to participate in the women's tournament.
Investigations on Khelif
Imane Khelif would not even be a recent discovery of Italian boxing. The Algerian had trained at the Assisi sports center. She was the flag bearer of the 2022 Mediterranean Games in Oran, Algeria, where she passed the baton to the Games in Taranto, where the next edition will be held. From CONI, they try to reassure Carini and encourage her to move forward: “You get in the ring and you fight.”
The explosion of the affair in Italy
On July 30, two days before the meeting, the Khelif case exploded in Italy with the first online articles and Matteo Salvini's tweet, followed by several other representatives of the Northern League. At this point, it is suspected that the IBA's goal has almost been achieved: to create confusion about the French Games from which Russian athletes are excluded due to the invasion of Ukraine and to divide public opinion between a factual case and fake news. After the meeting, the IBA will also propose to reward Carini with 100 thousand euros, to be shared with the staff and the federation, “as if he had won gold”. Money that the Italian Boxing Federation and the boxer refused to the sender.
Kremlev's ties with Italy
According to Repubblica, there is a thread that connects the Russian oligarch Kremlev to Italy: the head of the Iba is said to be a very good friend of Franco Falcinelli, president of the European Boxing Confederation for a decade, of whom he has always spoken well. Kremlev was also in Italy for the opening of the European Boxing Center that will be built in Assisi. A center also financed with funds from the Pnrr and with the help of the Iba. The local League would also have questioned the alleged delays in the work of this center. But the construction deadlines, according to Mayor Stefania Proietti, are currently being respected.
Carini's Panic
As the political controversy took hold on 30 August, Carini began to worry again and called CONI again: “What should I do? Everyone is looking for me, I really don't know…” She was advised to disconnect the phone, but she was unable to truly isolate herself. When she entered the ring on 1 August against Imane Khelif, a hard right hand and 46 seconds were enough to convince her that this match was bigger than her.
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