Boxing Olympic champion: Skips competition due to gender tests
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Eindhoven, Netherlands — The missing face of Olympic boxing star Imane Khelif at the Eindhoven Box Cup has left organizers in a pickle, with tournament media director Dirk Renders telling the Associated Press, "We didn't kick her out, we regret her absence."
The Algerian powerhouse, who clinched gold in the Paris Olympics last year, was all set for her Eindhoven debut since her triumphant victory. However, she's out after the World Boxing Association (WBA) enforced mandatory gender tests.
Mayor's Stand for Khelif
Just a week prior, the International Olympic Committee-recognized association announced that Khelif wouldn't be joining the Eindhoven Box Cup. The WBA announced the gender, age, and weight tests as part of a new guideline.
Khelif was entangled in a fiery gender debate during the Paris Olympics. The WBA later stated that she can't compete in any WBA event without submitting to a genetic gender test in accordance with their rules and regulations.
Eindhoven's mayor, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, was downright displeased. In a letter to the Dutch boxing association and the international federation, he expressed, "We welcome all athletes in Eindhoven, excluding them based on questionable gender tests contradicts our values." He urged the organizers to at least extend an invitation to Khelif.
Remember, Khelif didn't get kicked out.She opted not to register due to the WBA's new policy requiring gender testing for all athletes. The implications of these tests on her future career are significant, with the possibility of hindering her from competing if she fails to comply with testing requirements or faces scrutiny over her gender eligibility.
This situation underscores the challenges and controversies surrounding gender testing in sports. It's a hot-button issue for athletes like Khelif who've already made history in their careers and may face further exclusion if they don't comply with testing requirements. Meanwhile, controversy surrounding these tests continues to mount, with critics voicing disapproval at their use for excluding athletes.
In light of her absence from the Eindhoven Box Cup, Eindhoven's mayor, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, expressed displeasure and urged organizers to invite Olympic boxing star Imane Khelif, emphasizing that sports welcomes all athletes irrespective of questionable gender tests. The Olympics champion, Imane Khelif, opted not to register for the Eindhoven Box Cup due to the World Boxing Association's new policy requiring gender testing for all athletes.
