IBA's $50,000 Gesture to Carini: A Controversial Stand

The International Boxing Association (IBA) plans to award $50,000 to Italian boxer Angela Carini, who withdrew from her Olympic bout against Imane Khelif. IBA President Umar Kremlev announced additional funds for Carini's coach and Italy’s boxing federation. The IBA has been critical of the IOC's governance and athlete eligibility standards.

The banned International Boxing Association (IBA) aims to give a $50,000 prize to Italy's Angela Carini, who tearfully exited her opening bout against Algeria's Imane Khelif at the Paris Olympics after just 46 seconds.

In a provocative move, IBA president Umar Kremlev made the announcement in his latest video criticizing the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which suspended the IBA's Olympic recognition prior to the Tokyo Games and completely ousted it from the Olympic movement last year.

Kremlev also revealed plans to award $25,000 each to Italy's national federation and Carini's coach following her dramatic initial-round exit against Khelif. The IBA contends that Khelif did not pass a gender identity test at last year's world championships, causing a global uproar over her participation in the Olympic women's boxing tournament, alongside Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting.

“I couldn't look at her tears,” Kremlev said of Carini. “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.” Despite these claims, the IOC has repeatedly affirmed the eligibility of both Khelif and Lin for Olympic competition. Both boxers had participated in IBA tournaments for years before their sudden disqualifications last year in New Delhi.

In an unprecedented move last month, the IBA announced plans to dispense $3.1 million in prize money to Paris medal winners, despite no longer having an Olympic boxing role. Years of clashes between the IBA and IOC have highlighted concerns over the IBA's governance, financial transparency, and fairness.

It remains uncertain if Carini and the Italian Boxing Association will accept the IBA's money, with ambiguity surrounding which Italian federation the IBA intends to reward, as no specific organization was named in its release.

Italy's official national federation recently allied with World Boxing, a breakaway governing body striving to keep boxing in the Olympics. World Boxing, with 37 members, anticipates gaining more affiliations ahead of the IOC's early next year deadline for the sport to consolidate under a new governing body to maintain its Olympic status.

The IBA lists a different Italian national federation, Federazione Pugilistica Italiana, among its members. Many countries have multiple amateur boxing federations.