World Boxing Says It Was Wrong To Name Imane Khelif in Announcement on Required Sex Testing

World Boxing is apologizing for specifically naming an Olympic champion, Imane Khelif, in an announcement on new sex testing requirements.The emergency rule mandates the sex testing under a new “Sex, Age, and Weight” policy. The official release on the policy change noted that World Boxing has informed the Algerian Boxing Federation that Ms. Khelif will not be allowed to participate in the female category at any World Boxing event until sex testing is completed.Ms. Khelif battered female opponents on the way to a gold medal in the female welterweight division at the Paris Games in 2024, winning the first bout in 46 seconds, with the opponent quitting in tears.“This decision reflects concerns over the safety and wellbeing of all boxers, including Imane Khelif, and aims to protect the mental and physical health of all participants in light of some of the reactions that have been expressed,” according to a statement by World Boxing. The statement named Ms. Khelif multiple times but used her full name in every instance and didn’t use male or female pronouns when referring to the boxer.The governing body’s president, Boris van der Vorst, has now sent a letter to the Algerian Boxing Federation to acknowledge that it was wrong to single out Ms. Khelif. He also used the word “her” in referring to Ms. Khelif.“I am writing to you all personally to offer a formal and sincere apology for this and acknowledge that her privacy should have been protected,” he wrote, according to the Associated Press, which stated it had seen the letter.“Reaching out to you personally we show our true respect to you and your athletes,” Mr. Van der Vorst added.The site 3 Wire Sports has reported that Ms. Khelif underwent International Boxing Association tests at boxing’s 2022 and 2023 world championships that showed the boxer’s DNA had XY markers with “male” karyotypes.The boxer was banned from fighting mid-way through the 2023 championships, and the International Olympic Committee was reportedly told of the tests. But because the IBA was under a ban from running boxing at the Paris Games following a series of judging scandals and governance issues, it was rebuffed in a public statement claiming Ms. Khelif was a victim of a “sudden and arbitrary” decision. Ms. Khelif was allowed to participate because the boxer’s passport was marked “female.”World Boxing has been approved as the governing body at the 2028 Los Angeles Games and said the new sex testing requirements will apply to the Games there. Ms. Khelif plans to return to competition this month and hopes to defend the gold medal.Chromosome testing previously was common in Olympic sports but was abandoned in the 1990s. The issue of men competing in female sports has become a rallying point for President Trump and other conservatives and has brought more scrutiny over testing requirements.The new sex tests by World Boxing will include an appeals process, and national federations will be responsible for testing and confirming the sexes of their athletes when entering them into competitions by providing a certification of their chromosomal sex test reports.“World Boxing respects the dignity of all individuals and its overriding priority is to ensure safety and competitive fairness to all athletes,” the organization says.

World Boxing Says It Was Wrong To Name Imane Khelif in Announcement on Required Sex Testing

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