World Boxing has announced that Algerian Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif must undergo mandatory sex testing before being allowed to compete in any women’s boxing events under its authority.
The new requirement is part of a broader policy introduced to determine the eligibility of athletes based on sex, age, and weight, aimed at ensuring fairness and safety in competition.
The governing body stated on Friday that it had formally notified the Algerian Boxing Federation that Khelif would not be permitted to participate in the upcoming Eindhoven Box Cup or any other sanctioned women’s competitions until she completes the prescribed testing process.
Khelif, who secured gold in the women’s 66kg category at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was previously disqualified from the 2023 IBA World Championships for reportedly failing to meet eligibility criteria. Despite the setback, she went on to compete in the Olympics after being cleared at the time.
Under World Boxing’s updated policy, all athletes over the age of 18 must undergo a PCR genetic test to determine their sex at birth. Those with the SRY gene or with differences of sexual development (DSD) involving male androgenization will only be eligible to compete in the male category.
In a prior interview, Khelif responded to scrutiny by saying, “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.”
World Boxing will oversee the boxing events at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The organization says the new eligibility policy is designed to uphold fairness and protect all competitors.
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