The boxer Imane Khelif has lodged an appeal against the International Sports Court (CAS) against the genetic test introduced by the World Boxing. The CAS announced that. World Boxing had previously decided that all boxers had to carry out a gender test for participating in the World Championships. The competitions take place in Liverpool from September 4th to 14th.
The Algerian Khelif already submitted an appointment on August 5. The 26-year-old demands that the World Championships also be approved without a test. The CAS now rejected the demand to suspend the tests until a decision has been made. When a judgment can be expected was not announced. A hearing will be scheduled.
“The guideline is intended to ensure the security of all participants and create the same competitive conditions for men and women,” World Boxing justified the decision about the genetic tests. All athletes over the age of 18 would have to undergo a PCR test or a functional, medically equivalent genetic screening test to determine their birth family.
Already excluded from World Cup in 2023
There was a debate about Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting from Taiwan at the Summer Olympics in Paris last year. Both boxers had previously been excluded by the 2023 World Cup after unadorned gender tests by the Association IBA, which is no longer recognized by the International Olympic Committee. According to the IBA, both would not have fulfilled the necessary participation criteria and had “competitive advantages compared to other female participants”.
The IOC called it an “arbitrary decision without proper procedure” and had Khelif and Lin participate in Paris. The gender given in the passport was decisive for admission to the competitions, was a reason. Both won gold.
After the IOC suspended the IBA association, the World Association World Boxing, whose decision Khelif is now going, was recognized by the IOC Executive Council as a partner. The association is now to take over the organization for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028.
