World Boxing (WB), the international boxing federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has applied the requirement for male boxers to undergo sex identification tests as a condition of participation in its competitions
This rule came into force for female boxers on August 20, so that it would be in effect for the World Championships organised by WB in Liverpool (United Kingdom) in the first half of September.In the case of men, it was agreed to encourage national federations to start the testing process, but not to make it mandatory until January 1, 2026, arguing that safety and sporting integrity issues in relation to eligibility were more pronounced in the women’s category.The rule states that all boxers over the age of 18 who wish to participate in a WB-sanctioned competition must undergo a PCR, a technique used to detect specific genetic material, or an equivalent test to determine their sex and eligibility to fight.
“Any athlete who cannot provide certified results of their sex test will not be allowed to participate in any World Boxing competition,” the organization added in the statement it issued on August 20.
Any athlete who cannot provide certified results of their sex test will not be allowed to compete in any World Boxing competition
WB was the first Olympic federation to impose gender verification tests in order to ensure “the safety of all participants and provide a level playing field”.
Created in April 2023, this organisation was provisionally endorsed by the IOC in February this year to organise the Olympic boxing competition following the disqualification of the International Boxing Association (IBA) for financial, administrative and refereeing irregularities.
The gender test rule applied to female boxers was challenged by Algeria’s Imane Khelif before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), according to the organization on September 1.
Khelif won the gold medal in the 66kg category at the Paris Games amid controversy over doubts about her gender due to her high testosterone levels.The IOC endorsed the Algerian’s victory as it found no evidence that she was a transgender person or had experienced any alteration in her biological sex.
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