Olympic Champion Imane Khelif Appeals World Boxing Genetic Sex Test Ruling

Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif — a 26-year-old who has long maintained “she” is female despite leaked testing results — has formally appealed a World Boxing decision that bars her from competition unless she undergoes genetic sex testing, escalating a heated debate over gender eligibility in international sports.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed on Monday that the Algerian boxer lodged her appeal last month. While Khelif had hoped to participate in the world boxing championships beginning this Thursday, CAS dismissed her request to suspend World Boxing’s ruling while the case is ongoing.

Khelif rose to global prominence after winning a gold medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024, a victory shadowed by scrutiny surrounding her eligibility alongside Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, another Olympic champion. Both fighters had previously been disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA) in 2023 after the organization alleged they failed unspecified eligibility tests.

The IBA, however, was later expelled from overseeing Olympic boxing after years of corruption scandals, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stepped in to manage the last two Games. Under IOC rules, both Khelif and Lin were deemed eligible to compete.

With World Boxing now provisionally approved as the sport’s governing body for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, it has faced mounting pressure to establish formal standards on sex eligibility. In May, the organization announced mandatory sex testing for all athletes and controversially singled out Khelif in its statement — a move it later apologized for.

Despite the controversy, Khelif has vowed to defend her welterweight title in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, newly elected IOC president Kirsty Coventry has launched a task force to review gender eligibility policies, signaling that the issue will remain at the forefront of international sport.

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