World Boxing Announces Gender Verification for Olympic Champion Khelif
World Boxing Implements Gender Tests Following Olympic Controversy
In a move aimed at ensuring fair competition and the safety of all participants, the International Boxing Association (IBA) - recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) - has announced mandatory genetic testing for athletes aged 18 and over participating in events sanctioned by the organization.
The new policy, outlined in a letter sent to member federations on May 30, forms part of a new policy on gender, age, and weight to maintain equal competition conditions for male and female participants. The decision comes in the wake of heated debates surrounding the gender of certain athletes, with the 2024 Paris Games being a prominent example.
Olympic champion Imane Khelif, who was embroiled in such a debate, has already experienced the consequences, as she has been barred from participating in the Eindhoven Box Cup, scheduled for June 5-10. According to the letter sent to the Algerian national federation, Khelif will be unable to participate in all World Boxing events until she undergoes a genetic gender test in accordance with the organization's rules and testing procedures.
Previously, the existence of such tests caused a stir at the Paris Olympics. Boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan were excluded from the 2023 World Championships by the IBA, the precursor to the current World Boxing, due to unexplained gender tests. The IOC, which ultimately allowed both athletes to compete in Paris, stated that the gender indicated in a passport typically determines eligibility in many sports.
World Boxing, recognized by the IOC's executive board in February, has now established more specific rules, stating that these new participation rules were devised with the goal of protecting athletes in combat sports, particularly given the physical risks associated with Olympic-style boxing.
The IOC has taken over the organization of the boxing tournaments in Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2020 following the IBA's suspension. In 2028, World Boxing is expected to resuscitate its role in Los Angeles. The outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach emphasized in Paris his desire to keep boxing in the Olympic program, but only with a reliable partner.
Source: ntv.de, dbe/dpa
- Boxing
Boxing, as governed by the International Boxing Association (IBA), has implemented mandatory genetic testing for athletes to ensure fair competition and maintain equal conditions for male and female participants. This decision, made following the controversy surrounding the gender of certain athletes in previous events, forms part of a new policy on gender, age, and weight in sports.
