Olympics-Boxing-Hungarian boxer defeated by Algeria's Khelif says she respects her opponent
Adds Hungarian NOC statement
By Gabriel Stargardter
PARIS, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Hungary'swelterweight boxer Luca Anna Hamori said on Saturday she lost fairly to Imane Khelif, the Algerian who has been at the centre of an eligibility storm at the Paris Olympics.
Khelif beat Hamori on a unanimous decision in the Olympic quarter-finals and her opponent said she had no complaints.
"I cannot say a single bad word about my opponent," Hamori, who hugged Khelif after the final bell, told reporters.
"The last few days have been difficult for everyone. I have respect for her, I don't have a bad thought for her, this situation is not her fault," she said.
"We both put up a fight, that's the way it is now, it could be different in the future. The situation has not ruined my Olympics at all."
Khelif, a silver medallist at the 2002 World Championships, and Taiwanese featherweight Lin Yu-ting, have been in the spotlight at the Paris Games after a gender row that has dominated headlines and been much discussed on social media.
The pair fell foul in 2023 of International Boxing Association (IBA) eligibility rules, which include preventing athletes with XY chromosomes from competing in women's events. The IBA did not specify on what grounds they failed.
It has never been shown that they have a genetic condition giving rise to a Difference of Sexual Development (DSD) and the two boxers were cleared to fight in Paris by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni raised the issue with IOC chief Thomas Bach after Italian boxer Angela Carini pulled out during her round-of-16 bout against Khelif after sustaining a series of crushing blows.
"NECESSARY DECISIONS"
After Saturday's fight, the Hungarian National Olympic Committee (NOC) called for "consequences" in a joint statement with Hamori and Balazs Furjes, Hungary's IOC representative.
"These consequences will have to be duly evaluated after the Paris Games," the body added.
"As long standing and loyal members of the international Olympic family, we are 100 percent convinced that the International Olympic Committee will make the necessary decisions and we are also 100 percent convinced that the IOC will make the right decisions.
"Naturally, the Hungarian Olympic family will duly participate in such evaluation and decision-making procedure."
The IOC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Furjes said there was never a question of Hamori not fighting Khelif.
Asked whether he believed it was a fair fight, he said: "As loyal members of the international Olympics family, we are 100 percent convinced, 100 percent convinced that the International Olympic Committee will make the right decisions."
"We Hungarians are always ready to fight bravely and that’s what Luca has just done and showed us. We're not afraid of difficult circumstances and we are ready to fight even in difficult circumstances."
Hamori added: "I wish good luck to my opponent and the others in the finals."
Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter and Boldizsar Gyori; additional reporting by Aadi Nair; editing by Clare Fallon and Ken Ferris
Senaste nytt
Ansvarsfriskrivning: XM Group-enheter tillhandahåller sin tjänst enbart för exekvering och tillgången till vår onlinehandelsplattform, som innebär att en person kan se och/eller använda tillgängligt innehåll på eller via webbplatsen, påverkar eller utökar inte detta, vilket inte heller varit avsikten. Denna tillgång och användning omfattas alltid av i) villkor, ii) riskvarningar och iii) fullständig ansvarsfriskrivning. Detta innehåll tillhandahålls därför uteslutande som allmän information. Var framför allt medveten om att innehållet på vår onlinehandelsplattform varken utgör en uppmaning eller ett erbjudande om att ingå några transaktioner på de finansiella marknaderna. Handel på alla finansiella marknader involverar en betydande risk för ditt kapital.
Allt material som publiceras på denna sida är enbart avsett för utbildnings- eller informationssyften och innehåller inte – och ska inte heller anses innehålla – rådgivning och rekommendationer om finansiella frågor, investeringsskatt eller handel, dokumentation av våra handelskurser eller ett erbjudande om, eller en uppmaning till, en transaktion i finansiella instrument eller oönskade finansiella erbjudanden som är riktade till dig.
Tredjepartsinnehåll, liksom innehåll framtaget av XM såsom synpunkter, nyheter, forskningsrön, analyser, kurser, andra uppgifter eller länkar till tredjepartssajter som återfinns på denna webbplats, tillhandahålls i befintligt skick, som allmän marknadskommentar, och utgör ingen investeringsrådgivning. I den mån som något innehåll tolkas som investeringsforskning måste det noteras och accepteras att innehållet varken har varit avsett som oberoende investeringsforskning eller har utarbetats i enlighet med de rättsliga kraven för att främja ett sådant syfte, och därför är att betrakta som marknadskommunikation enligt tillämpliga lagar och föreskrifter. Se till så att du har läst och förstått vårt meddelande om icke-oberoende investeringsforskning och riskvarning om ovannämnda information, som finns här.
