Imane Khelif has been banned by the World Boxing Federation
Algerian Olympic gold medalist, Imane Khelif, has been barred from competing in the female category at World Boxing events until she undergoes a mandatory sex test, according to the sport’s global governing body.
The 26-year-old recently made history by winning gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics, competing under the eligibility rules of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which state that an athlete is eligible to compete in the women’s division if their passport identifies them as female.
However, World Boxing Federation, the new organisation recognised by the IOC in place of the stripped International Boxing Association (IBA), are enforcing their gender eligibility regulations.
They have confirmed that Khelif must now undergo medical testing before she can take part in any of their sanctioned female competitions.
Khelif was previously disqualified from the 2023 IBA World Championships after reportedly failing gender eligibility tests under the IBA’s rules.
She was later cleared by the IOC to compete in Paris, where she won Algeria’s first Olympic boxing gold.
The discrepancy between the IOC’s standards and those of World Boxing highlights an ongoing divide in how sporting bodies handle sex and gender classification — an issue expected to remain in focus after the Paris Games.
World Boxing has not released details on the timeline for Khelif’s eligibility review, and the boxer has yet to publicly respond to the new decision.
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