"This is glorified male violence against women" - Riley Gaines reacts to 'heartbreaking' bout as Angela Carini withdraws from fight with Imane Khelif

By Marie Amani

Modified Aug 01, 2024 13:38 GMT

Riley Gaines has commented on the controversial bout between Italian Angela Carini and transgender boxer Imane Khelif of Algeria. The boxing match was stopped after 46 seconds with the latter being crowned the Olympic champion. However, the credibility of the Algerian boxer being female has raised a lot of questions with Riley Gaines joining the wave.

According to the Scottish Daily Express, Khelif was deemed biologically male and forced to withdraw from last year’s World Championships.

After the boxing match was abandoned, Carini dropped her helmet in disappointment and could not shake her opponent’s hand. The 25-year-old Italian then started sobbing in a display of her frustration.

Multiple sports enthusiasts have come out to speak on the issue, with Riley Gaines expressing her frustration on her X handle with over a million followers. Gaines shared a series of tweets, empathizing with Carini while slamming the organizers of the event.

"After 46 seconds and a few hits to the face by a male, Carini forfeited the fight. Call me crazy, but it's almost as if women don't want to be punched in the face by a male as the world watches and applauds. This is glorified male violence against women," Gaines said.

She also claimed that the Biden-Harris Title IX rewrite that has been implemented will cause more male athletes to compete in women’s sports.

"This happens the SAME DAY the Biden-Harris administration's Title IX rewrite goes into effect in the US. THIS is exactly what it allows for & celebrates. Don't be surprised or ask "how did we get here?" when this continues to happen at an exponential rate," she added.

Gaines further lauded Carini for abandoning the match where her rights were being violated. In an interview, Gaines shared that Carini claimed she had never been hit that hard before.

"Carini broke down in tears and explained in an interview that she had never been hit so hard before. Heartbreaking. She's a hero to all for backing out," she said.

---

Riley Gaines explains why she stopped referring to herself as ‘biological woman’

Riley Gaines at the Celebrities Visit SiriusXM - May 20, 2024 - Getty Images

Former Kentucky swimming ace Riley Gaines has explained why she dropped the tag ‘biological woman’ when referring to herself.

Speaking in an interview with Fox Business, Riley Gaines explained that the ideology behind having to call herself a biological woman is ‘crazy’.

"There is man, there is woman, there's male, there's female, mother, father, boy, girl. This idea of 'biological woman' is crazy," Gaines said.

"I don't think we realize how much language matters, how important it is, because when we use these words, we put emphasis behind them. It dictates our well-being. It dictates what these words mean," she added.

Meanwhile, Gaines has been at the forefront when fighting for women's rights in sports, and coming out to support Italian Angela Carini is yet another proof of her dedication as an activist.

Gaines has also authored a book, Swimming Against the Current: Fighting for Common Sense in a World That’s Lost its Mind, wherein she talks about her experiences as a swimmer and encourages women to speak up when their rights are violated.