World Boxing’s new gender eligibility policy has triggered its first major standoff, with Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif rejecting demands to undergo sex verification testing.
Khelif, who captured gold in Paris after being banned from IBA competition, is now preparing an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the controversial rules that could end her career in women’s boxing.
World Boxing’s New Gender Policy
As of August 20, all female athletes over 18 years of age must provide genetic certification confirming they were born female at birth. Testing will use PCR screening to detect the SRY gene, the marker of male chromosomal material.
Testers will clear athletes who are confirmed to be female (XX chromosomes, no SRY gene). World Boxing will ban those with XY material or androgenized DSD conditions from the women’s category.
World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst defended the landmark ruling as a matter of “safety and fairness”:
“World Boxing respects the dignity of all individuals and is keen to ensure it is as inclusive as possible. Yet in a combat sport like boxing, we have a duty of care to deliver safety and competitive fairness. I am confident this new policy will deliver integrity and protect all participants.”
The ruling ensures no ambiguity, with no loopholes: male at birth equals the men’s division, and female at birth equals the women’s division.
Lin Yu Ting Accepts, Khelif Refuses
While Taiwanese Olympic champion Lin Yu Ting has agreed to comply with the process ahead of this month’s World Championships in Liverpool, Khelif has refused outright.
Lin’s coach, Tseng Tzu-chiang, confirmed that his fighter will submit all documents as part of ‘normal procedures’ after returning from training camp in South Korea.
The approach is the opposite of Khelif, who has not fought since her Olympic triumph. She pulled out of a June event in the Netherlands after World Boxing’s announcement and has spent months denying rumors of retirement.
“I have never announced my retirement from boxing,” Khelif said earlier this year. “I train regularly and maintain my fitness in Algeria and Qatar. Such rumors only aim to disrupt my career. I will always remain loyal to boxing and to my country.”
Khelif has consistently insisted she was born a woman, a stance supported by Algerian reports cited by WBN. However, the IBA previously confirmed the presence of XY chromosomes in her case, meaning under World Boxing rules, she cannot box in the women’s division.
CAS Appeal Looms
Rather than comply, Khelif has decided to challenge the regulation legally. Her legal team will file with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking to overturn the World Boxing ruling.
The case will set a precedent not only for the Liverpool event, but also for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, where World Boxing has provisional recognition from the IOC and will oversee the tournament.
The procedures could also have a knock-on effect for any plans to turn professional, as World Boxing News speculated previously. Due to her profile, pro sanctioners could make Khelif conform to the same standards if she loses the appeal and enters the paid ranks.
For now, the new rules mean Khelif will not compete in Liverpool. Her future in women’s boxing, amateur or professional, rests on whether CAS intervenes.
World Boxing’s intervention marks the most significant gender eligibility ruling in combat sports to date, with profound implications for athlete rights, safety, and competitive fairness.
Khelif’s fight is no longer just in the ring; it is in the courtroom, where a judge will decide a fate that could signal the end of the controversial Algerian’s career.
About the Author
Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights. [View all articles by Phil Jay] and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism.
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