Gold at Olympics 2024
After Khelif Fall: Boxing association introduces genital tests
May 31, 2025 – 07:19 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The controversy about the gender of boxing star IMane Khelif determined the Olympic boxing tournament in Paris. Now a newly created association reacts with prescribed tests.
After the controversial participation of the Olympics of IMANE KHELIF, the amateur boxing association World Boxing exacerbates its rules: In future, PCR tests will be mandatory to detect the chromosomal sex.
The association, recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since March, announced on Friday that in the future all athletes aged 18 and over would have to present a certificate of the chromosomal gender determined by a PCR test. According to its own statement, World Boxing wants to ensure “Security and well -being of all boxers, including IMANE KHELIF”.
The test checks the presence of the Sry gene on the Y chromosome-an indication of the biological gender. The national associations are responsible for implementing and the certificate. Those who cannot be classified as male or female must no longer start in the future.
“World Boxing respects the dignity of all people,” said the association. The aim is to “ensure safe and fair competitions to all athletes”. It is “essential that strict gender -specific categories are maintained and enforced”.
The decision also has direct consequences for IMANE KHELIF. The Algerian boxing association has been informed that the 25-year-old could only compete in the Eindhoven Box Cup from June 5th to June 10 if she submitted the requested test.
Like the Taiwaner Lin Yuting, Khelif was excluded from the Boxing Association International Boxing Association (IBA) at the 2023 World Cup. Both are said to have passed a testosterone test. They were still allowed to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris – the gender in the pass was crucial there. Both won gold in their weight classes. Conservative circles particularly assumed Khelif to be a man.
In March, Kirsty Coventry was elected as the new IOC President. She wants to take office from June 24 and has announced a task force on how to deal with transgender topics in sports. Coventry had emphasized after her election: “We will protect the female class. There will be a clear decision that we will not move away from.”
World Boxing was founded in 2023 – in response to the conflict between the IOC and the International Boxing Association. The IBA was suspended in 2019 for serious misconduct and was finally excluded from the IOC in 2023.
The new association, which also belongs to the German Boxing Sports Association (DBV), will host its first World Cup in Liverpool in September and organize the boxing tournament at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.