World Boxing will introduce obligatory intercourse testing for boxers in all competitions.
Imane Khelif, who gained Olympic welterweight gold in Paris final summer time within the feminine class, will likely be unable to compete till she undergoes a check.
World Boxing has written to the Algerian Boxing Federation saying Khelif won’t be eligible to participate within the Eindhoven Field Cup subsequent month, or any World Boxing occasion, till that check takes place.
The letter learn: “Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup, 5-10 June 2025 and any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing’s rules and testing procedures.”
Khelif had been cleared to compete on the 2024 Olympics regardless of being disqualified from the 2023 World Championships, organised by the Worldwide Boxing Affiliation, for allegedly failing to satisfy gender eligibility standards.
Algeria’s Khelif gained Olympic welterweight gold in Paris final summer time
What does the check entail?
The PCR (polymerase chain response) check that World Boxing will use determines intercourse at beginning, with all athletes over the age of 18 wishing to compete required to take one.
On this check, the genetic materials regarded for is the SRY gene.
The SRY gene is nearly all the time on the Y chromosome, which performs an important position in figuring out male intercourse traits.
The check may be carried out by a nasal or mouth swab, saliva or blood.
Athletes deemed to be male at beginning, as evidenced by the presence of Y chromosome genetic materials (the SRY gene) or with a distinction of sexual growth (DSD) the place male androgenisation happens, will likely be eligible to compete within the male class, World Boxing stated.
Talking in March, Khelif stated: “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.”
Khelif gained a silver medal on the 2022 World Championships, within the light-welterweight division
World Boxing: Coverage designed to make sure security and stage taking part in discipline
World Boxing stated in its assertion: “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 respects the dignity of all people and its overriding precedence is to make sure security and aggressive equity to all athletes.
“To do this, it is essential that strict categories determined by sex are maintained and enforced, and means that World Boxing will only operate competitions for athletes categorised as male or female.”
The coverage additionally consists of an appeals course of.
‘A blunt device however one which will present clarification’
Sky Sports activities Information senior reporter Geraint Hughes:
“There are a number of reasons World Boxing could be doing this – one, to stop the noise, because there is a lot of noise.
“Some boxers had been expressing ‘why is Khelif there in Eindhoven?’ and there’s a lot of hate on the market, particularly on social media. So this might be a blunt device, a somewhat insensitive however blunt device to get some ultimate clarification on this.
“There was so much misinformation and misreporting around Khelif. She is not a transgender athlete. Her passport and her birth certificate say she is female.
“If the check comes again and she or he has two X chromosomes and is a feminine, and has no DSD, that is the tip of the argument. We could get clarification someway.
Khelif should take a check to proceed boxing as she appears to be like in direction of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles
“World Boxing only got the nod to be the sport’s governing body at amateur and Olympic level two months ago which is why we are getting this now.
“It will likely be one other tough few weeks for Khelif however we could get some readability on the finish of this course of.
“If the test is done once and it says a boxer is either a female or a male you’d think if it is legal, signed off by an accredited laboratory and everything is done properly, that is a very clear end of the matter, you would hope.
“However the caveat is that one other check might be taken.”
