Khelif must undergo sex testing to compete under new World Boxing rules

World Boxing will introduce mandatory sex testing for boxers in all competitions.

Imane Khelif, who won Olympic welterweight gold in Paris last summer in the female category, will be unable to compete until she undergoes a test.

World Boxing has written to the Algerian Boxing Federation saying Khelif will not be eligible to take part in the Eindhoven Box Cup next month, or any World Boxing event, until that test takes place.

The letter read: “Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup, 5-10 June 2025 and any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing’s rules and testing procedures.”

Khelif had been cleared to compete at the 2024 Olympics by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), despite being disqualified from the 2023 World Championships, organised by the International Boxing Association (IBA), for allegedly failing to meet gender eligibility criteria.

What does the test entail?

The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test that World Boxing will use determines sex at birth, with all athletes over the age of 18 wishing to compete required to take one.

In this test, the genetic material looked for is the SRY gene.

The SRY gene is almost always on the Y chromosome, which plays a crucial role in determining male sex characteristics.

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

Athletes deemed to be male at birth, as evidenced by the presence of Y chromosome genetic material (the SRY gene) or with a difference of sexual development (DSD) where male androgenisation occurs, will be eligible to compete in the male category, World Boxing said.

Speaking in March, Khelif said: “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.”

World Boxing: Policy designed to ensure safety and level playing field

World Boxing said in its statement: “The introduction of mandatory testing will be part of a new policy on sex, age and weight to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women.

“World Boxing respects the dignity of all individuals and its overriding priority is to ensure safety and competitive fairness to all athletes.

“To do this, it is essential that strict categories determined by sex are maintained and enforced, and means that World Boxing will only operate competitions for athletes categorised as male or female.”

The policy also includes an appeals process.

What is DSD?

The NHS defines DSD (differences in sex development) as “a group of rare conditions involving genes, hormones and reproductive organs, including genitals. It means a person’s sex development is different to most other people’s”.
This means someone may have sex chromosomes usually associated with being male (XY chromosomes), but reproductive organs and genitals that may look different from usual.
Some people with DSDs are raised as a girl but have XY sex chromosomes, testosterone levels in the male range and the ability to use testosterone circulating within their bodies.
It is possible therefore that someone could be raised as a female but develop the advantages that going through male puberty gives an athlete.
Other conditions in women such as PCOS and endocrine issues could cause elevated levels of testosterone.

‘A blunt tool but one that may provide clarification’

Sky Sports News senior reporter Geraint Hughes:

“There are a number of reasons World Boxing could be doing this – one, to stop the noise, because there is a lot of noise.

“Some boxers were expressing ‘why is Khelif there in Eindhoven?’ and there is a lot of hate out there, especially on social media. So this could be a blunt tool, a rather insensitive but blunt tool to get some final clarification on this.

“There was so much misinformation and misreporting around Khelif. She is not a transgender athlete. Her passport and her birth certificate say she is female.

“If the test comes back and she has two X chromosomes and is a female, and has no DSD, this is the end of the argument. We may get clarification one way or the other.

“World Boxing only got the nod to be the sport’s governing body at amateur and Olympic level two months ago which is why we are getting this now.

“It will be another difficult few weeks for Khelif but we may get some clarity at the end of this process.

“If the test is done once and it says a boxer is either a female or a male you’d think if it is legal, signed off by an accredited laboratory and everything is done properly, that is a very clear end of the matter, you would hope.

“But the caveat is that another test could be taken.”