Olympic gold medallist Imane Khelif has officially been banned from competing inWorld Boxing events less than a year after competing at the Paris Games.
Throughout the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Algerian boxer Khelif made headlines after a debate regarding over gender emerged following her dominance in the women's welterweight event.
A year before the Olympic Games, Khelif failed the International Boxing Association (IBA) gender eligibility tests at the World Championships, but was cleared by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to compete in Paris.
The 26-year-old went on to win the gold medal in the women's 66kg division with relative ease, further adding fuel to discussions over her gender.
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And now, nearly a year after the Paris Olympics, Khelif been banned from competing in all future World Boxing events in the women’s category, unless she can provide proof of being biologically female.
In recent months, World Boxing has faced mounting pressure about safety and fairness in women’s sport, perhaps leading to their decision.
They recently confirmed that Khelif would be cleared to compete in the female division of next week’s Eindhoven World Cup, if she passed mandatory sex screening.
But as the 26-year-old has not submitted to any such test in the nine months since the Olympics, World Boxing have now handed her an indefinite ban.
“The introduction of mandatory testing will be part of a new policy on ‘Sex, Age and Weight’ to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women,” World Boxing said in an official statement.
“The fighters’ national federations will be responsible for administering the tests and providing the results to World Boxing.”
The boxing organisation also confirmed that this decision was taken in response to 'the particular circumstances around some boxers,' including Khelif, who had been informed of the change in policy.
“Imane Khelif may not compete in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup or in any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic screening in accordance with World Boxing’s rules and testing procedures,” the statement added.
Ever since questions regarding her gender were raised at the Olympics, Khelif has adamantly stated that she is a woman and that she contests the IBA’s previous findings.
In a recent interview with The Telegraph, she said: “I see myself as a girl just like any other girl. I was born a girl, raised as a girl, and have lived my entire life as one.”
Ben McCrum