Featured Image Credit: Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Topics: Boxing, Imane-Khelif, Olympics
James Taylor
Topics: Boxing, Imane-Khelif, Olympics
World Boxing have made their stance on mandatory sex testing clear amid Algerian boxer Imane Khelif's appeal to the CAS.
Khelif first made global headlines during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where she dominated the women's 66kg event. Her participation raised questions regarding her gender, which prompted the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to issue several statements.
In 2023, Khelif and Taiwanese fighter Lin Yu-ting, allegedly failed the International Boxing Association's (IBA) gender eligibility guidelines. After the IOC decided to strip the IBA of its role as boxing's amateur governing body, both boxers were allowed to compete in Paris.
However, earlier this year, World Boxing introduced mandatory sex testing, which Khelif had not submitted to in the past and has not taken part in since the new World Boxing regulations. As a result, she is effectively banned from competition under the new rules.
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Khelif subsequently appealed World Boxing's decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Algerian requested that she was declared as eligible to participate in the World Boxing Championships, which began on 4 September.
The court rejected her request, stating that the case requires a full hearing.
On 4 September, the French boxing federation issued a statement saying they had learned the previous night that French boxers would not be able to compete at the World Championships.
They criticised World Boxing, who are organising their first world championships, and made the decision to impose gender testing on 21 July.
In response, World Boxing said: "It is very disappointing for the boxers that some National Federations have not been able to complete this process in time which means that some athletes have not made it through the sports entry process for the World Boxing Championships."
They added that they do not comment on individual cases, with the focus instead on the World Championships as a whole.
The competition began on 4 September at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, and will run to 14 September.
It is the first elite-level global competition that will be hosted by World Boxing.
Both men and women will compete across 10 weight classes.
More than 550 boxers from over 65 countries are expected to descend on the North-West of England over the two weeks.
The event is designed to showcase some of the sport's rising stars as well as established names, with 17 medallists from Paris 2024 set to compete.
It is the biggest ever Olympic-style boxing event.