Imane Khelif’s Appeal
In Lausanne, Switzerland, Olympic champion Imane Khelif has formally contested a ruling from World Boxing that mandates she undergo genetic sex testing to participate in upcoming competitions.
On Monday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed that the Algerian boxer submitted her appeal last month. Khelif was preparing to compete in the world boxing championships starting Thursday, but CAS noted that it had denied a request to suspend the World Boxing ruling while the appeal is being processed.
Khelif’s Olympic Success
Khelif achieved a significant milestone by winning a gold medal at the Paris Olympics last year, a victory that drew considerable international attention, especially in light of her competition with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who also claimed gold. The prior governing body for Olympic boxing, the International Boxing Association (IBA), disqualified both athletes from its 2023 world championships, citing failures in unspecified eligibility tests.
Changes in Boxing Governance
The IBA was removed from its position due to a history of misconduct and controversies, resulting in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) taking over the management of Olympic boxing tournaments in recent years. Under IOC regulations, the eligibility criteria previously applied at the Olympics deemed both Khelif and Lin eligible to compete.
New Regulations and Reactions
Following provisional approval as the organizing body for boxing at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, World Boxing has confronted rising pressure from athletes and federations to establish clear sex eligibility guidelines. In May, World Boxing introduced a policy mandating sex testing for all competitors, explicitly mentioning Khelif during the announcement, a move for which they later issued an apology.
As she prepares to defend her welterweight gold medal at the upcoming Los Angeles Games, Khelif is supported by newly elected IOC president Kirsty Coventry, who has initiated a task force aimed at examining gender eligibility issues.
