Algeria’s Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif has been required to undergo mandatory genetic sex testing to continue competing internationally, including at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
World Boxing, which has provisional recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to govern boxing at the upcoming Games, announced a new policy requiring all boxers aged 18 and older to submit to genetic testing to verify their eligibility to compete in male or female divisions.
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Khelif, who claimed the women’s welterweight gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was specifically mentioned by World Boxing, which stated she would be prohibited from participating in future events unless she complies with the new genetic screening rules. The organization informed the Algerian Boxing Federation about this decision.
The new regulations mandate a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to detect the presence of the SRY gene, a marker for the Y chromosome, which helps determine an athlete’s chromosomal sex assigned at birth. National boxing federations will be responsible for conducting these tests and providing certificates confirming the athlete’s sex before they can enter any World Boxing-sanctioned competition.
This announcement comes after months of controversy surrounding Khelif’s eligibility, which escalated following her victory in Paris. Her success, along with that of Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, triggered a heated global discussion on gender eligibility in women’s sports, drawing comments from prominent figures including former U.S. President Donald Trump and entrepreneur Elon Musk.
Trump, who issued an executive order banning transgender athletes from women’s sports in the U.S. earlier this year, had publicly commented on Khelif’s situation. In response, the 26-year-old boxer firmly denied being transgender, stating, “I see myself as a girl, like any other girl. I was born, raised, and have always lived as a girl.” She emphasized that she competed in numerous major events, including the Tokyo Olympics and several World Championships, long before gaining significant success, and claimed that criticism only intensified after she began winning titles.
Focused on defending her title at the 2028 Olympics, Khelif has not yet publicly responded to the recent directive. Attempts by Reuters to contact her were unsuccessful, and the Algerian Boxing Federation has not released any official comment.
World Boxing’s policy is expected to intensify the ongoing global debate about gender identity and inclusion in sports. While similar measures have been adopted by some sports bodies in recent years, critics argue that these policies risk marginalizing athletes who do not fit traditional gender categories and subjecting them to intrusive scrutiny, despite their self-identified gender and lived experiences as women.
