Olympic champ Imane Khelif banned on the spot amid gender test furore

Olympic boxing gold medallist Imane Khelif has sensationally been banned nine months after victory at the Paris Games rocked the sport.

World Boxing has announced it will introduce mandatory gender testing to determine the eligibility of male and female athletes wanting to take part in its competitions.

The international federation says it is introducing the policy after the furore surrounding women’s welterweight gold medallist Imane Khelif of Algeria at the Paris Olympics last year.

World Boxing will organise the boxing competition at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after being granted provisional recognition by the International Olympic Committee.

World Boxing said it had informed the Algerian Boxing Federation that Khelif would have to undergo the test if she wanted to compete at the Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands on June 5-10.

“In light of plans to introduce this policy and the particular circumstances surrounding some boxers that competed at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, World Boxing has written to the Algerian Boxing Federation to inform it that Imane Khelif will not be allowed to participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup or any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes sex testing,” World Boxing wrote in a press release.

Imane Khelif of Team Algeria celebrates victory. Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images.

Under the new policy, all athletes over 18 that want to participate in a World Boxing owned or sanctioned competition will need to undergo a PCR, or polymerase chain reaction genetic test, to determine what sex they were at birth and their eligibility to compete.

The PCR test is a laboratory technique used to detect specific genetic material, in this case the SRY gene, that reveals the presence of the Y chromosome, which is an indicator of biological sex.

The test can be conducted by a nasal or mouth swab, or by taking a sample of saliva or blood.

National federations will be responsible for testing and will be required to confirm the sex of their athletes when entering them into World Boxing competitions by producing certification of their chromosomal sex, as determined by a PCR test.

Khelif said in March: “As we say in Algeria, those who have nothing to hide should have no fear.

Algeria's Imane Khelif celebrated a win. Photo by MOHD RASFAN / AFP.

“The truth became clear at the Paris Olympics — the injustice was exposed and later, the truth was acknowledged by the Olympic Committee in Paris.”

Khelif then continued: “For me, I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl. I was born a girl, raised as a girl, and have lived my entire life as one.

“I have competed in many tournaments, including the Tokyo Olympics and other major competitions, as well as four World Championships.

“All of these took place before I started winning and earning titles.

“But once I began achieving success, the campaigns against me started.”

The 26-year-old is targeting a second gold medal at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles after her triumph in Paris.

Her success, along with that of Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, sparked a raging gender eligibility debate, with high-profile figures such as US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk weighing in.

Gold Medallist Imane Khelif of Team Algeria kisses her medal. Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images.

Khelif and Lin were disqualified from the International Boxing Association’s 2023 world championships after the organisation, the long-standing governing body of amateur boxing, said they had failed gender eligibility tests.

The IOC has severed links with the IBA over financial, governance and ethical concerns. The IBA is led by the Kremlin-linked Russian Umar Kremlev.

Last month the IOC provisionally recognised World Boxing as the body to oversee the sport at future Games.

Khelif won the gold medal in Paris amid a backdrop of criticism from certain pundits.

Her first round win over Angela Carini saw the Italian give up after just 46 seconds in the ring.

Carini left the ring in tears, and later claimed: “After the second one (punch landed) I couldn’t breathe anymore.

“I went to my coach and said ‘enough’ because it takes maturity and courage to stop. I didn’t feel like fighting anymore.”

The Eindoven Cup have been promoting Khelif’s participation in their upcoming event, with a poster reading: “Proud that Imane Khelif is there again to defend her title.”

World Boxing’s decision will scupper Khelif’s entry into the event.

— with The Sun, AFP

Originally published as Olympic champ Imane Khelif banned on the spot amid gender test furore