World Boxing made the new rules public on Friday, specifically mentioning Algerian Khelif, who won the women’s welterweight title at the Paris 2012 competition last year and sparked a gender-eligibility row.
According to a statement from the organization, Imane Khelif is prohibited from competing in the female category at any World Boxing event without the consent of the organization when Imane Khelif goes through a genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing’s rules and testing procedures.
Imane Khelif won’t be permitted to compete in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup or any other World Boxing competitions until she passes sex testing, according to a letter from World Boxing to the Algerian Boxing Federation.
After receiving provisional recognition from the International Olympic Committee, World Boxing is in charge of organizing fights for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Under the new rules, all athletes who want to compete in a World Boxing-owned or sanctioned competition must pass a PCR or polymerase chain reaction genetic test to determine their sex at birth and eligibility to compete.
The Y chromosome, an indicator of biological sex, is revealed through the PCR test, a laboratory method that uses a particular genetic material, in this case the SRY gene.
A sample of saliva or blood can be taken as part of the test, as well as a nasal or mouth swab.
National federations will be responsible for testing and will be required to produce confirmation of their athletes’ chromosomal sex when submitting them to world boxing competitions, as determined by a PCR test.
Khelif and the Algerian Boxing Federation did not immediately respond to inquiries about the development, according to a Reuters news agency.
In March, Khelif said, “I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl.” I was born and raised a girl, and I have lived and lived in that way all my life.
She said at the time, “I have competed in numerous tournaments, including the Tokyo Olympics and other major competitions, as well as four World Championships.”
“All of these occurred before I began to win and win titles.” However, the attacks against me started once I started achieving success.
After winning in Paris, the 26-year-old is hoping to win a second gold medal at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
A raging gender eligibility debate involving prominent figures like US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk erupted in Paris following her Olympic success and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting’s success.
Trump signed an executive order in February that forbids transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.
Source: Aljazeera
Leave a Reply