Boxing lovers are familiar with the legend surrounding one of the most anticipated bout in history. Roberto Durán against Sugar Ray Leonard at Louisiana Superdome in 1980, a fight with the welrweight title at stake, also known as “The No Mas” fight. In the 7th round Panama champion Duran turned his back on Leonard and walked away.
“No mas”, he simply said, no more. Those two words became iconic and represent one of the weirdest outcome in boxing history. Duran quit out of frustration caused by his opponent superiority.
LESS THAN A MINUTE What pushed Angela Carini to walk away from Olympic fight this morning in northern Paris, will be matter of heated discussions. The bout lasted less than a minute, enough time to get punched by her opponent, Algerian Imane Khelif, and turn toward her coach, Emanuele Renzini: “No mas”.
Basta.
That’s it.
PROTEST Of course, this wasn’t a fight like any other. Khelif is one of two boxers permitted to fight at the Olympics despite being disqualified from the women’s world championships last year for failing testosterone and gender eligibility tests. The last few days a very heated social media campaign put an enourmous pressure over the 25 years old native of Naples, who was encouraged to boycott the fight a sign of protest against the decision to let the Algerian to take part at the Olympics.
SHOCK Carini’s coach Renzini was in shock after the fight: “I was not aware of her intentions. We talked through the whole issue in the last few days. I gave her the chance to walk away before the fight, if she did not feel comfortable with. Angela told me she was unfazed by the controversy. She wanted to fight. How am I surprised on scale from 1 to 10? Eight”.
“A PUNCH LIKE THIS” The overwhelming pressure might have put Angela’s state of mind off balance because Imane Khelif was not unknown to the Italian team. In fact the Algerian spent several weeks training with Carini, Canfora and some other athlete and no one raised concern about her ‘masculinity’. “I am heartbroken,” said Carini. “I went to the ring to honour my father. I was told a lot of times that I was a warrior but I preferred to stop for my health. I have never felt a punch like this.”
UNFAIR While leaving the ring, Angela whispered to her coach ‘it’s unfair…”, referring to the fact an athlete like Khelif is allowed to compete among women.
“It’s not a defeat for me – Angela added – for me if you go in the ring you have already won, regardless of everything else. I’m not here to judge. It’s not up to me to say if it’s fair or not fair. I just did my job. I managed to leave with my head held high. I’m a mature woman; when I feel I cannot continue, its not giving in, it’s having the dignity to say enough. I was convinced I would win, I was concentrated, serene. But these punches to the nose hurt, I said enough.”
CREDIBILITY The incident poses a crucial question for the credibility of boxing and for the IOC as well.
Testosterone level in females will create situations like the one of Khelif and current guidelines don’t seem to satisfy the public but also many female boxers who feel their well being is put in danger.
As probably Carini felt this morning.
ELIGIBILITY RULES
The IOC’s spokesman Mark Adams was asked about the controversy. “I repeat that all the competitors comply with the eligibility rules,” he said. “But what I would say is that this involves real people. And, by the way, this is not a transgender issue. I should make this absolutely clear.”
Whatever issue this may be it requires a different and effective approach before any other disheartening spectacle like the one that took place this morning. In simple words: “No mas”.
Credit: AIPS Media
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