The 2024 Paris Olympics have received major pushback online after allowing a boxing match with an athlete believed by many to be a biological male to commence, which ended less than a minute after the biological female opponent forfeited the fight.

The fight between Imane Khelif of Algeria and Angela Carini of Italy ended after only a couple of punches were thrown, one of which hit Carini in the face. As the match ended, Carini could be seen on her knees visibly upset over forfeiting the match.

“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,” women’s sports activist and Outkick host Riley Gaines wrote on X. “This is glorified male violence against women.”

Author J.K. Rowling, a vocal critic of transgender women, spoke very harshly against the International Olympic Committee in the wake of the match, writing that Carini “just had everything she’s worked and trained for snatched away” because the IOC “allowed a male to get in the ring with her.”

“You’re a disgrace, your ‘safeguarding’ is a joke and #Paris24 will be forever tarnished by the brutal injustice done to Carini,” the Harry Potter author wrote.

On Tuesday, the IOC defended its policy to allow transgender athletes to compete in the Games, arguing it is following rules previously used by the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. IOC spokesman Mark Adams contended that Khelif competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and has been boxing “for a very, very long time.”

Former Democratic lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard has spoken against the IOC’s decision, arguing that it is “the consequence of the insane trans ideology.” She added that the IOC is “putting actual women in danger” by allowing transgender athletes to compete against them.

In the wake of Carini forfeiting her match, #IStandWithAngelaCarini reached the top trending spot on the social media platform X.

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Transgender issues will be a factor in the presidential election, which is expected to be between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive nominee for the Democratic Party. Harris has been endorsed by the Advocates for Trans Equality organization and has also received the backing of the Human Rights Campaign.

Trump, meanwhile, has stated in 2022 that he would implement a “ban on men participating in women’s sports” should he become president again. The former president has also vowed to end transgender surgeries for minors in a second presidency.