Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is through to the quarterfinals of the women’s 66kg at the Olympics after her opponent, Italy’s Angela Carini, abandoned their bout within 46 seconds.

Khelif is one of two athletes who failed to meet gender eligibility tests at the Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi last year and were disqualified but were cleared to compete in the women’s 66-kilogram and women’s 57-kilogram matches in Paris this week. 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) – which did not organise the World Championships but is running the boxing at Paris 2024 – said welterweight Khelif was disqualified in India because of elevated levels of testosterone.

After taking a punch to the face inside 30 seconds, Carini went to the corner for her coach to fix her headgear but after briefly resuming, returned to her corner once more and stopped the fight.

Just before Khelif’s arm was raised by the referee, Carini could be heard on camera saying, “it’s not right”. She was in tears in the ring and as she faced the media after the fight.

“I wasn’t able to finish the match, I felt a strong pain to my nose and I said [to myself] for the experience that I have and the maturity as a woman that I have, I said I hope my nation won’t take it badly, I hope my dad won’t take it badly – but I stopped, I said stop for myself,” Carini said.

“It could have been the match of a lifetime, but I had to preserve my life as well in that moment.

“I didn’t have fear, I don’t fear the ring. I don’t fear taking the blows. But this time there’s an end for everything, and I put an end to this match, because I wasn’t able to continue.”

On Khelif, Carini told reporters: “I wish her to carry on until the end and that she can be happy. “I am someone who doesn’t judge anyone. I am not here to give judgements.”

Khelif, who has lost nine times during her 50-fight career, told the media: “I’m here for the gold – I fight everybody.”

It comes a day after Algeria’s Olympic Committee condemned “baseless” attacks on Khelif.

Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who was stripped of a bronze medal at last year’s World Championships after failing a gender eligibility test, fights in Paris on Friday.

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

IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: “These athletes have competed many times before for many years, they haven’t just suddenly arrived – they competed in Tokyo.”

The 2023 World Championships, at which Khelif and Lin were disqualified, was organised by the International Boxing Association (IBA).

On Wednesday, the IBA said the pair were disqualified at the World Championships “to uphold the level of fairness and utmost integrity of the competition”.

It said they “did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognised test, whereby the specifics remain confidential”.

“This test conclusively indicated that both athletes did not meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors,” the body added.

The pair had tests at the World Championships in Istanbul 2022 and then again in 2023.

The IBA said while Lin did not appeal against the disqualification decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Khelif did appeal but later withdrew it.