Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif is not allowed to participate in the Eindhoven Box Cup next week. That is because the International Boxing Association World Boxing enters a mandatory sex test for all competitions. Khelif, one of the major crowd pullers, has not yet done such a sex test and is therefore not welcome.
World Boxing mentions the Olympic champion specifically in their statement: “Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category in Eindhoven and any other event until it undergoes a sex test in accordance with the rules and test procedures of World Boxing.”
Imane Khelif was one of the major crowd pullers of the Eindhoven Box Cup. On the Instagram page of the tournament in Eindhoven, fans from all over the world were looking forward to her participation. At the same time, there was also a lot of criticism of her registration, because some people think that Khelif is not allowed to participate in the women’s tournament.
Oversight
Imane Khelif from Algeria won gold in the class up to 66 kilos during Olympic Games last year. Her victory was controversial because her opponent Angela Carina gave up in tears after 46 seconds. The Italian had a lot of pain after the first blow and claimed that it was an ‘unfair battle’. That statement did not fall from the sky. Khelif had been under fire for some time.
She won silver at the World Cup in 2022, but was disqualified a year later. That happened just before she would box the World Cup final, but too much testosterone was found in her blood at the Algerian. The International Boxing Ascosiation (IBA), the counterpart of World Boxing, then completely excluded it from IBA competitions. But she was allowed to participate in the Olympic Games, because this is organized by the IOC and not by both international boxing unions.
Sex test
With all boxers aged 18 or older, a PCR test must now be taken at World Boxing to determine their gender. With a smear from the nose, via saliva or blood you can find out or male Y chromosome prevents in the body. Such a test is not new, because this has already been introduced in the athletics world.
World Boxing was founded in 2023 as an alternative to the International Boxing Association (IBA) and is led by the Dutchman Boris van der Vorst. His World Boxing is now recognized as an international boxing association and will organize the Olympic boxing tournament during the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
This is the Eindhoven Box Cup
The tournament in Eindhoven is the only tournament in the Netherlands that has Olympic status. And also the largest in Europe. For three days, the top level is used in the Van der Valk Hotel in Eindhoven.
There are 24 nationalities and more than 300 participants in the Eindhoven Box Cup from 6 to 9 July. In addition, all weight classes that international boxing knows are represented by both men and women.
The ninth edition of the Eindhoven Box Cup is organized by Stichting Noble Art of Boxing in collaboration with the Dutch Boxing Association, World Boxing and NOC*NSF.