Boxer Imane Khelif will not participate in the upcoming Eindhoven Box Cup, only days after World Boxing instituted compulsory sex testing for its competitors.
Khelif, an Algerian Olympic gold medalist, and Lin Yu-Ting from Taiwan, were central figures in a significant gender controversy that arose during the Paris 2024 Olympics last summer.
Her Olympic appearance came roughly 18 months after she was reportedly barred from the Women`s World Championships following an alleged failure in a gender eligibility test.
According to reports, a test conducted by the International Boxing Association suggested both Khelif and Yu-Ting possess male XY chromosomes.
Despite this, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed them to participate based on their female passport information, a decision that sparked considerable anger.
Less than a year following this controversy, World Boxing announced that all athletes competing under its sanction must undergo mandatory sex testing.
Khelif will not compete in the Eindhoven event, which is the first World Boxing competition since the new rule was announced. Her absence is due to missing the registration deadline.
Dirk Renders, media director for the Eindhoven Cup, stated: “The decision regarding Imane`s exclusion is not ours. We regret this outcome.”
The Mayor of Eindhoven, Joren Dijsselbloem, has strongly criticized World Boxing`s move to implement mandatory sex testing.
In a letter addressed to the Dutch Boxing Federation and the International Boxing Federation, he wrote: “As far as we are concerned, all athletes are welcome in Eindhoven.”
“Excluding athletes based on controversial ‘gender tests’ is certainly not consistent with that principle.”
“Today we are expressing our disapproval of this decision and urge the organization to allow Imane Khelif to compete.”
Khelif secured Algeria`s first Olympic gold medal in women`s boxing at the Paris Games.
Following her opening match where Italy`s Angela Carini retired just 46 seconds in, Khelif received significant social media abuse.
Carini`s quick retirement fueled claims that the gender eligibility test Khelif allegedly failed before the 2023 World Championships identified her as a “biological male”.
The results of that test, reportedly conducted in New Delhi, were recently made public by 3 Wire Sports.
The published document reportedly indicated that chromosomal analysis showed a “male karyotype”.
A karyotype refers to the specific set of chromosomes an individual has.
Khelif has not yet publicly commented on the leaked report but has consistently asserted that she is biologically female.
The Algerian boxer has also initiated legal proceedings against several well-known individuals, including Elon Musk and JK Rowling, citing “aggravated cyber-harassment.”
The past ten months have been emotionally challenging for Khelif, who acknowledges the significant impact of the situation.
Khelif told El Birard: “Immediately afterwards, there was a huge uproar from major politicians globally, athletes worldwide.”
“And even artists and celebrities, Elon Musk, Trump… this situation… it affected me.”
“I`m not lying, it affected me deeply. It hurt me a great deal.”
“I cannot describe the level of fear I experienced. The situation was very frightening.”
“Thank God, all the people of Algeria and the Arab world knew Imane Khelif for her femininity, her courage, her determination.”
“Honestly, I prefer not to mix politics with sports, but they brought politics into sports.”
“Sports and politics are two distinct things.”
“These politicians who are attacking me, they have no right to claim that I am transgender.”
Oliver Croft