Furious JK Rowling slams Olympic boxing match as 'a man beating a woman in public for entertainment' after woman was forced to quit against 'biologically male' opponent after just 46 seconds

A female boxer once disqualified for being 'biologically male' yesterday forced out an Italian opponent in one of the most controversial Olympic moments ever.

A global backlash, led by Italy's prime minister and Harry Potter author JK Rowling, ensued after Angela Carini quit to 'save my life' just 46 seconds into her bout against Algerian opponent Imane Khelif, claiming she had been hit so hard that she 'couldn't breathe'.

Giorgia Meloni protested after her nation's Olympic hopeful was left sobbing on her knees in the ring following the contentious match against a rival previously banned for having an 'unfair advantage'.

Ms Meloni added: 'I was emotional yesterday when she wrote "I will fight" because the dedication, the head, the character, surely also play a role in these things. But then it also matters to be able to compete on equal grounds and, from my point of view, it was not an even contest.'

The Italian premier was joined by Ms Rowling, former British PM Liz Truss and Sir Andy Murray's mother, Judy, as well as female sports stars, in condemning the scenes.

The fight between the two 25-year-olds ended after Carini was rocked by two punches and said later the savage force of the blows had made it 'impossible to continue'. Carini, a police officer, fell to her knees and burst into tears as she conceded the match, shouting: 'This is unjust.'

Her prime minister, who was visiting the Olympic Village yesterday, said: 'This, from my point of view, was not a competition on equal terms. It is a fact that with the levels of testosterone present in the blood of the Algerian athlete the race at the start does not seem fair.'

Women's rights campaigner Ms Rowling tweeted a video of the fight and wrote: 'Watch this then explain why you're OK with a man beating a woman in public for your entertainment. This isn't sport. From the bullying cheat in red all the way up to the organisers who allowed this to happen, this is men revelling in their power over women.'

Carini was pictured in floods of tears after the match and said she was unable to continue for her health, adding: 'I have never felt a punch like this.' Ms Murray wrote on X: 'This should never have been allowed to happen.'

James Guy, a five-times Olympic medallist member of the British swimming team tweeted: 'Not fair!', while former GB swimmer Sharron Davies said: 'This is a biological male fighting a female & absolutely everyone can see it.' 

Former tennis star Martina Navratilova wrote it was 'a travesty and makes a mockery of all Olympic sports'. Speaking out after her loss, Carini explained: 'It could be the match of my life but, in that moment, I had to safeguard my life, too.'

After the match was stopped, the referee raised Khelif's hand in the air. But a visibly furious Carini yanked her own hand away from the fight official and walked off.

Carini's coach Emanuele Renzini reportedly said after the fight: 'I don't know if her nose is broken. But many people in Italy tried to call and tell her: 'Don't go please: It's a man, it's dangerous for you'.'

The United Nations' Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Alsalem, backed Carini saying she 'rightly followed her instincts and prioritised her physical safety, but she and other female athletes should not have been exposed to this physical and psychological violence based on their sex.' 

And Labour MP and feminist campaigner Rosie Duffield told the Mail: 'For days, we have been highlighting the potential danger of this specific event to the IOC [International Olympic Committee] who chose to go ahead and ignore us.'

Former Prime Minister Liz Truss also said: 'When will this madness stop?' However, Labour's two equalities ministers were, despite requests for comment, both silent. As the furore was raging, one of them, Anneliese Dodds did find time to tweet about 'cycling to work day'.

But Khelif was backed by her country's Olympic committee which 'strongly condemns the unethical targeting and maligning of our esteemed athlete'.

The IOC said all boxers in Paris 'comply with the competition's eligibility and entry regulations'.

Khelif was allowed to fight at the Olympics despite being disqualified from the women's world championships last year for failing testosterone and gender eligibility tests. 

These were organised by the International Boxing Association (IBA), a Russia-led body which has since been stripped of its status. But ex-world champion Amy Broadhurst tweeted: 'Personally I don't think she has done anything to 'cheat'. I thinks it's the way she was born & that's out of her control.'

The IOC blamed the IBA's 'arbitrary' decision for the row, with a spokesman adding: 'This is not a transgender issue. I should make this absolutely clear.'