Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif is unable to compete at the World Boxing Championships without undergoing a genetic sex test.
In May, World Boxing introduced mandatory testing for its competitions and all athletes over the age of 18 now need to undergo a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic test to determine their eligibility to compete.
World Boxing has said that the policy is aimed to ‘ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women’.
However, the governing body also issued an apology for identifying Khelif by name as part of its announcement to introduce the mandatory testing.
Khelif has since filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and has requested that her ban from competing is lifted until her case is heard.
‘Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against World Boxing concerning a decision that disallows the athlete’s participation in upcoming World Boxing events without a preliminary genetic test,’ CAS confirmed on Monday.
However, Sky Sports have revealed that a date for Khelif’s hearing with CAS could take ‘several weeks’, which means the 26-year-old is set to miss the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, which runs from September 4 to September 14.
Khelif won gold in the women’s welterweight category at the Olympics in Paris last summer after being cleared to compete by the International Olympic Committee.
‘I am fully qualified to take part in this competition – I am a woman,’ Khelif said after winning her gold medal.
‘I was born a woman, I’ve lived as a woman and I’ve competed as a woman.
‘These people, they are the enemies of success. It’s what I call them. It gives my success a special taste because of these attacks.
‘My message to the whole world is that they should commit to Olympic principles and they should not bully people.
‘I hope that people will stop bullying, and I hope we will not see similar attacks in future Olympics.’
In 2023, Khelif was banned by the International Boxing Association for allegedly failing to meet gender eligibility criteria and was unable to compete in the World Boxing Championships.
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