Gender Verification Measures Enacted by Global Boxing Authority
World Boxing Accelerates Gender Testing after Olympic Controversy
Lausanne - In response to the Olympic controversy surrounding Algeria's Imane Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, the World Boxing Association (WBA) has announced mandatory genetic tests for all boxers over 18 participating in its events. The move, aimed at ensuring safety and fair competition, will involve PCR genetic testing to determine birth gender and eligibility.
The WBA's new policy, officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in February, follows a gender debate that erupted during the 2024 Paris Games. Khelif, a golden medalist in Paris, will now be barred from participating in the Eindhoven Box Cup (June 5-10) and all other WBA-sanctioned events until she undergoes the mandatory testing. The Algerian national federation received a letter confirming these restrictions.
This decision brings back memories of the 2023 World Championships, where both Khelif and Lin were excluded after gender tests, despite their later participation in the Paris Games. The International Boxing Association (IBA), no longer recognized by the IOC due to governance and ethics concerns, conducted these tests. The IOC criticized the IBA for making arbitrary decisions without proper procedure, ultimately allowing Khelif and Lin to compete in Paris.
The new WBA rules, intended to protect athletes in combat sports, come as the IOC is overseeing boxing tournaments in both Paris and Tokyo following the IBA's suspension. In the future, WBA will take over in Los Angeles in 2028. The outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach underlined the importance of a reliable partner to ensure boxing remains part of the Olympic program.
It remains unclear whether the WBA's new rules align with the IOC's standards, as the IOC has previously criticized illegitimate gender testing practices by bodies like the IBA, particularly in the case of Imane Khelif.
[1] World Boxing Association[2] International Boxing Association, International Olympic Committee
The World Boxing Association (WBA) has declared that sports events under its jurisdiction, including the Eindhoven Box Cup, will now require mandatory genetic testing for all boxers over the age of 18, to maintain safety and fair competition. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is yet to comment on whether these new rules align with its standards.
