In the electric atmosphere of the Paris Olympics, a storm of controversy erupted as Algerian boxer Imane Khelif stunned the audience and her opponent, Italy’s Angela Carini, by forcing her toquit a mere 46 seconds into their preliminary bout. Yet, as the murmurs of scandal swirled, Hungarian boxer Anna Luca Hamori remained unfazed, ready to face Khelif in Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Hamori, marking her name as the first Hungarian Olympic boxer, exuded confidence and clarity. “I’m not scared,” she declared to a throng of reporters. For Hamori, the noise of controversy was just that-noise. Her focus was unwavering, her spirit unbroken by the media frenzy surrounding Khelif.
The root of the uproar lies in Khelif’s turbulent journey to the Olympics. Disqualified from the 2023 world championships for failing to meet the eligibility criteria due to elevated testosterone levels, Khelif’s presence in Paris was both a surprise and a lightning rod for debate. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) database coldly documented the facts, but the whispers of the sporting world added fuel to the fire.
“I don’t care about the press story and social media,” Hamori stated bluntly. Her words carried the weight of an athlete focused solely on victory, not the gender identity discussions enveloping her opponent. “If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win.”
The IOC stood firm in their stance, clarifying Khelif’s eligibility. “Everyone competing in the women’s category is complying with the competition eligibility rules,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams asserted. “They are women in their passports and it’s stated that this is the case, that they are female.” This standard was consistently applied, as seen with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, another athlete disqualified from the 2023 World Championships.
The Olympic boxing drama continues
Diverging regulations between the Olympics and the Russia-controlled International Boxing Association (IBA), which oversees the world championships, have only added to the confusion. The IOC’s split with the IBA has created a chasm in the boxing community, further complicating the landscape for athletes like Khelif and Hamori.
Hamori’s path to the quarterfinals was paved with decisive victories, her latest being a commanding defeat of Australia’s Marissa Williamson Pohlman. Keeping her focus sharp, Hamori has strategically distanced herself from the tumultuous buzz. “I’m trying to not use my phone before the fight,” she said. “I don’t want to care about the comments or the story or the news. I just want to stay focused on myself.”
On the other side, Khelif’s formidable presence looms, fresh off her overpowering win against Carini. The Italian boxer, through tears, described the Algerian’s punches as the hardest she’s ever faced. “I’m used to suffering,” Carini admitted, the pain evident in her words. “I’ve never taken a punch like that, it’s impossible to continue.”
Hamori, though respectful, found Carini’s decision to quit puzzling. “It was her choice,” she remarked. “I don’t understand, because I thought every boxer’s mind is the same like mine, to never give up. But it was her choice. We don’t know what was the reason. It’s her life, but I know I want to do this in my own life.”
As the quarterfinals loom, the narrative of the Paris Olympics continues to unfold, with Hamori and Khelif poised to add another chapter to this gripping saga.
