Following the Khelif case, the boxing authority has confirmed the implementation of gender verification tests.
World Boxing, the governing body of professional boxing, has announced a new guideline for gender testing in boxing tournaments, with the first implementation at the upcoming World Boxing Championships in Liverpool (4th-14th September).
The new guideline, developed by a working group consisting of medical department and anti-doping committee members within World Boxing, aims to ensure the safety of all participants and create equal competition conditions for men and women. The guideline will be in effect immediately.
According to the new rules, all female boxers competing in the women's category at the World Championships will be required to undergo a gender test. The test will involve either a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test or a functional, medically equivalent genetic screening test to determine the athlete's birth gender.
This decision comes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) deemed the International Boxing Association (IBA)'s exclusion of Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting from the 2023 World Championships arbitrary and without proper procedure. Both athletes went on to win gold at the Summer Games in Paris, with the IOC allowing them to participate despite the IBA's decision.
Whether Khelif will undergo the gender test or possibly challenge the decision is currently open. The IOC has taken responsibility for organizing the boxing tournaments in 2024 in Paris and three years earlier in Tokyo, following the IBA's suspension.
In a significant move, World Boxing is set to take over the organization of the boxing tournaments in 2028 in Los Angeles, with the IOC overseeing the boxing competitions at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The IOC recognized World Boxing as a partner in February.
Experts were consulted during the development of the guideline, and discussions included legal, social, and sporting developments related to the issue of gender eligibility. The World Boxing federation has confirmed the introduction of gender tests for the World Championships.
The gender indicated in the passport remains decisive for admission to competitions, as stated by the IOC. The IOC will also be responsible for organizing the boxing tournaments in 2024 in Paris and in Tokyo in 2028, with World Boxing taking over the organization in Los Angeles in 2028.
This move by World Boxing is part of a broader effort to ensure fairness and safety in competitive sports, particularly in the realm of gender identity and eligibility.
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