Boxing authority World Boxing conducts gender verification for Olympian Khelif
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World Boxing enacts gender testing mandate, citing safety and fair competition
In a move to establish equitable competition conditions for men and women, the International Boxing Association (AIBA) — recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) — has instituted mandatory gender tests for its participants. This policy change was announced in response to ongoing debates about gender identity and eligibility in sports.
The new rules require genetic testing for boxers aged 18 and above competing in events organized or sanctioned by the organization. These tests are intended to ensure the safety of athletes in combat sports, particularly in light of the physical risks associated with Olympic-style boxing.
Notably, this approach differs from the IOC's guidelines, which advocate for competition based on self-determined gender identity and discourage targeting athletes for sex or gender-identity determinations.
The recent decision has far-reaching implications for athletes like Olympic champion Imane Khelif, who was at the center of a heated gender debate at the 2024 Paris Games. The Algerian boxer has been barred from participating in the Eindhoven Box Cup (June 5-10) and all other World Boxing events until she submits to a genetic gender test in accordance with World Boxing's rules and testing procedures.
This policy shift follows a contentious episode at the 2023 World Championships, during which the International Boxing Association (IBA) — no longer recognized by the IOC — excluded both Khelif and Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan based on unexplained gender tests. The IOC deemed the decisions arbitrary and without proper procedure, permitting both athletes to compete in the Paris Olympics.
As World Boxing is gearing up to take over boxing tournaments in future Olympics, the IOC has expressed a desire to keep boxing in the Olympic program, but only with a reliable partner that values fairness, inclusion, and athlete safety. This new era of gender testing in boxing will continue to raise questions about finding a balanced approach to ensuring fairness, inclusion, and safety for all athletes in combat sports.
Sources: ntv.de, dbe/dpa
- Boxing
- The new gender testing mandate by World Boxing, as part of the International Boxing Association (AIBA), is intended to maintain safety and fair competition in sports, particularly in boxing.
- Athletes participating in World Boxing events will undergo genetic testing, demonstrating the organization's commitment to ensuring fair competition in combat sports, including boxing.
