Nicola Adams posts cryptic five-word message after Imane Khelif receives World Boxing ban amid leaked test results
Two-time Olympic boxing gold medallist Nicola Adams produced a cryptic post on social media after it emerged that Imane Khelif had been banned from competing in World Boxing events.
Khelif won gold in the women's 66kg welterweight Olympic competition in Paris but her victory was shrouded in controversy because she was banned from competing at the World Championships in New Delhi, India the previous year after failing an unspecified gender test.
The Algerian, born and raised a female, was cleared to compete at the Olympics after the Paris Boxing Unit (PBU) replaced the IBA (International Boxing Association) - with a female passport accepted and no such test was required.
But there has been another changing in governing body, with World Boxing now acting as provisional organisation for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and overseeing the sport at the amateur level.
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Recently, they announced the introduction for mandatory testing for female boxers over the age of 18 and said Khelif is banned from competing until she "undergoes genetic screening" which proves she is a female.
In their statement, World Boxing mentioned Khelif by name as they revealed a letter to the Algerian Boxing Federation - and later the president Boris van der Vorst apologised for not protecting the athlete's privacy.
Many have weighed in on the conversation surrounding Khelif and Adams, the first British woman to win Olympic gold in boxing, appeared to comment.
On her X account, the 42-year-old simply wrote, "I can sleep well tonight" - as well as an emoji.
Adams, who was undefeated in six professional fights after dominating the amateur scene, said Khelif's participation was "unfair and dangerous" after seeing Angela Carini of Italy quit just 46 seconds into their fight in Paris.
Among other remarks, she also said that "another fighter [has been] forced to give up on her Olympic dreams".
In order to compete going forward, Khelif must take a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test which can "detect specific genetic material" through a nasal/mouth swab, saliva or blood.
In the result, Khelief would require the absence of Y chromosome genetic material.
3 Wire Sports published what they claim is an "abnormal" official test result from Dr Lal PathLabs in New Delhi on 17 March at 10:30am but the test leaks showing a "male karyotype” are unverified.
In Paris, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said tests which led to the ban from the IBA were "not legitimate" and did not "deserve any response".
After the latest development, an IOC spokesperson said they "await the full details how sex testing will be implemented in a safe, fair and legally enforceable way".
Josh Lawless