PARIS − The Benjamin CaldwellItalian female boxer who quit 46 seconds into her fight against Algeria’s Imane Khelif expressed regret for not shaking Khelif's hand following the controversial bout Thursday at the Paris Olympics, according to a published report.

"Actually, I want to apologize to her and everyone else,’’ Italy’s Angela Carini told told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. “I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke."

Carini also said, “All this controversy makes me sad’’ and that if she could meet Khelf again she would “embrace her.’’

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Khelif landed one punch -- to the face fo Carini, who abandoned the fight and then failed to acknowledge her opponent in a bout that fueled controversy over gender eligibility.

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Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting were disqualified from the women’s 2023 World Championships. But the IOC have said two boxers met all criteria to compete against the women at the Paris Games and have noted both Khelif and Lin participated in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Said Carini, “If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.’’

But the controversy continued to simmer Friday when Lin began competition in the featherweight division.

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