Algerian Olympic champion Imane Khelif has opted out of participating in the Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands, citing recent mandatory sex testing requirements imposed by World Boxing. Khelif, who clinched gold at the Paris Games last year amidst questions about her eligibility, missed the registration deadline for the event that closed last Thursday.
The tournament’s media director, Dirk Renders, expressed regret over Khelif’s exclusion, clarifying that the decision was not made by their organization. Khelif, aged 26, had initially planned to make a comeback to the international boxing scene at the Eindhoven tournament this weekend. However, World Boxing’s new sex testing policy, unveiled last Friday, specifically targeted Khelif, mandating screening before her participation in any future events, including the Eindhoven Box Cup.
Criticism of World Boxing’s stance came from Eindhoven mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who condemned the exclusion of athletes based on controversial gender tests. He urged the organizations involved to reverse the decision and allow Khelif to compete.
Khelif, who claimed a gold medal at the Paris Olympics amid global scrutiny alongside Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, faced disqualification from the 2023 world championships by the former governing body, the International Boxing Association, for purportedly failing unspecified eligibility tests.
Following the International Boxing Association’s banishment due to misconduct, the IOC oversaw recent Olympic boxing tournaments, applying established sex eligibility criteria. Khelif and Lin were deemed eligible under these standards.
World Boxing, now provisionally responsible for organizing boxing at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, has been under pressure to establish clear sex eligibility guidelines. The organization’s president, Boris van der Vorst, issued an apology after singling out Khelif in the recent announcement.
Khelif had aimed to defend her welterweight gold medal at the LA Games but faced opposition from some boxers and federations. She had triumphed at the Eindhoven competition last year and also participated in the Tokyo Games in 2021, competing in the lightweight division.
Overall, Khelif’s decision to withdraw from the Eindhoven Box Cup reflects the ongoing controversies and challenges surrounding sex testing in boxing and highlights the complexities of eligibility standards in international sports.
