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Hungarian boxer Anna Luca Hamori doesn’t care about the Olympic boxing controversy centering around her next opponent, Imane Khelif.
Khelif, who fights out of Algeria, was previously disqualified from the 2023 World Boxing Championships by the International Boxing Association alongside Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting for failing to meet their eligibility requirements for the women’s competition.
IBA President Umar Kremlev told the Russian news agency Tass that the boxers were disqualified because “it was proven they have XY chromosomes.”
The International Olympic Committee disagreed with the IBA’s ruling and allowed Khelif and Yu-ting to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Via ESPN
“These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA,” the IOC said in its statement. “Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process. “According to the IBA minutes available on their website, this decision was initially taken solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO.”
IOC spokesman Mark Adams noted that both fighters are recognized as women on their passports.
“Everyone competing in the women’s category is complying with the competition eligibility rules. “They are women in their passports and it’s stated that this is the case, that they are female.”
On Thursday, Italy’s Angela Carini quit 46 seconds into her match against Khelif, causing an outcry on social media.
Anna Luca Hamori downplayed all the controversy surrounding her opponent and said she is focused on herself ahead of their boxing match on Saturday.
Via NY Post
“I’m not scared, “I don’t care about the press story and social media. If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win.”
“I’m trying to not use my phone before the fight,” Hamori said. “I don’t want to care about the comments or the story or the news. I just want to stay focused on myself. I did it before my last two fights, so I think this is the key, and we will see.”