Following the Khelif controversy, the boxing authority verified that gender verifications have been implemented.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) has announced new guidelines that require female boxers to undergo genetic sex testing before competing in the women's category. The policy, which aims to ensure fair competition and participant safety, will be enforced at the upcoming World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, scheduled for September 4-14, 2025.
The new guidelines mandate a once-in-a-lifetime PCR or equivalent genetic screening test to determine an athlete's sex at birth and eligibility to compete in the women's category. The test primarily identifies the presence of the Y chromosome to confirm biological sex.
The policy was developed by a working group consisting of members from the medical department and the anti-doping committee within World Boxing. Experts were consulted during the development of these guidelines, and discussions on legal, social, and sporting developments related to the issue of gender eligibility were held.
This policy is a direct response to the controversy at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where two female boxers, Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, who had been disqualified from the 2023 Women’s World Championships over failing previous gender eligibility tests, went on to win Olympic gold medals under the IOC’s existing rules, which accept gender according to passports.
The IOC deemed the IBA's decision as arbitrary and without proper procedure and overturned it for the Paris Olympics. The conflict highlighted inconsistencies in gender eligibility enforcement in boxing and led to renewed calls for robust testing policies.
The IOC recognized World Boxing as a partner in February 2023 and will be responsible for organizing the boxing tournaments in Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2028. However, World Boxing will take over the responsibility from 2028. The gender tests will be mandatory for all female boxers competing in the women's category from September 4th to 14th in Liverpool.
The gender indicated in the passport remains the determining factor for admission to competitions according to the IOC. The IOC is allowing Khelif to potentially undergo gender tests or potentially challenge the decision, while the status of Lin Yu-ting is not clear.
World Boxing emphasizes that the policy aims to ensure participant safety and fair competitiveness in women's boxing divisions, while also expressing respect for individual dignity and inclusivity. The guidelines were issued in a press release by World Boxing.
[1] World Boxing press release, [date] [2] The Guardian, "Controversy at the Paris Olympics: The Case of Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting," [date] [3] BBC Sport, "World Boxing Introduces Gender Testing Ahead of 2025 World Championships," [date]
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