Latest news with #Algerian
Sky News AU
22 minutes ago
- Sport
- Sky News AU
Olympic gold medallist Imane Khelif banned from World Boxing fights until undergoing sex test to determine gender
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif will be forced to undergo genetic sex testing to compete in World Boxing bouts as the sporting body announces sweeping eligibility screenings. Controversy surrounded Khelif at the 2024 Olympics after Italian boxer Angela Carini dramatically withdrew from their round of 16 fight, saying she had feared for her safety. Khelif, now aged 26, went on to win a gold medal in the Welterweight female category at the games in Paris. The International Olympic Committee allowed Khelif to compete at the event despite the Algerian national having been disqualified from the 2023 world championships by the International Boxing Association after a test that the body said rendered Khelif ineligible to fight as a woman. World Boxing, which is set to oversee boxing events at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, will now introduce mandatory genetic sex testing for all competitors in its boxing competitions. The organisation said it had notified the Algerian Boxing Federation that Khelif could not compete in the Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands next month until the boxer undertakes the test. "Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category at... any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing's rules and testing procedures," World Boxing said in a statement. Algeria became a member of World Boxing in September last year, joining over 100 other national boxing federations. World Boxing said in its announcement dated May 30 that the sex testing will form part of a new policy to 'deliver a competitive level playing field' for male and female athletes and ensure safety of boxers. 'The policy is in the final stages of development and has been crafted by a specially convened Working Group of the World Boxing Medical and Anti-Doping Committee, which has examined data and medical evidence from an extensive range of sources and consulted widely with other sports and experts across the world,' the statement said. The testing, which will be compulsory for all boxers over the age of 18, will 'determine their sex at birth' and thereby their eligibility to compete in gender categories. The new 'Sex, Age and Weight' policy will come into effect on July 1 and countries' national boxing federations will be expected to oversee testing of their own athletes. 'A failure to provide certification of the chromosomal sex of an athlete or the provision of a false certification, will render the athlete ineligible to compete and may lead to sanctions against the athlete and/or the athlete's National Federation,' World Boxing's statement said. -With Reuters
The Hindu
37 minutes ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif must undergo genetic sex screening to fight for new governing body
Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif must undergo genetic sex screening to participate in upcoming events with the sport's new governing body. World Boxing announced mandatory sex testing for all athletes Friday. The governing body specifically mentioned Khelif when announcing the policy, saying the Algerian gold medal winner must be screened before she will be approved to fight at any upcoming events, including the Eindhoven Box Cup next month in the Netherlands. 'The introduction of mandatory testing will be part of a new policy on 'Sex, Age and Weight' to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women,' World Boxing wrote in a statement. The fighters' national federations will be responsible for administering the tests and providing the results to World Boxing. Khelif won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics last summer amid international scrutiny on her and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, another gold medal winner. The previous governing body for Olympic boxing, the Russian-dominated International Boxing Association, disqualified both fighters from its 2023 world championships after claiming they had failed an unspecified eligibility test. The IOC ran the past two Olympic boxing tournaments after the banishment of the IBA for decades of misdeeds and controversy, and it applied the sex eligibility rules used in previous Olympics. Khelif and Lin were eligible to compete under those standards. Khelif intends to return to international competition next month in Eindhoven as part of her plan to defend her gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics, but some boxers and their federations had already spoken out to protest her inclusion. Chromosome testing was common in Olympic sports during the 20th century, but was largely abandoned in the 1990s because of numerous ambiguities that couldn't be easily resolved by the tests, collectively known as differences in sex development (DSD). Many sports switched to hormone testing to determine sex eligibility, but those tests require governing bodies to make difficult decisions on the eligibility of women with naturally high testosterone levels. Three months ago, World Athletics — the governing body for track and field — became the first Olympic sport to reintroduce chromosome testing, requiring athletes who compete in the women's events to submit to the test once in their careers. World Boxing has been provisionally approved to replace the IBA as the governing body at the Los Angeles Games, but it has faced significant pressure from boxers and their federations to create sex eligibility standards. World Boxing announced that all athletes over 18 years old in its competitions must undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genetic test to determine their sex at birth. The PCR test detects chromosomal material through a mouth swab, saliva or blood. If an athlete intending to compete in the women's categories is determined to have male chromosomal material, 'initial screenings will be referred to independent clinical specialists for genetic screening, hormonal profiles, anatomical examination or other valuation of endocrine profiles by medical specialists,' World Boxing wrote. The policy also includes an appeals process. The boxing body's decision is the latest development in a tumultuous period in Olympic sex eligibility policy. The issue of transgender participation in sports has become an international flashpoint, with President Donald Trump and other conservative world leaders repeatedly weighing in. Earlier this year, World Athletics also proposed recommendations that would apply strict rules to athletes who were born female but had what the organization describes as naturally occurring testosterone levels in the typical male range. In 2023, World Athletics banned transgender athletes who had transitioned male to female and gone through male puberty. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said he felt confident that the body's new rules would withstand legal challenges. The 26-year-old Khelif had competed in women's boxing events under the IBA's auspices without controversy until the 2023 world championships. She had never won a major international competition before her dominant performance in the women's welterweight division in Paris.
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Olympic Boxing Champ Imane Khelif Must Undergo Genetic Sex Screening to Fight for New Governing Body
Ap file photo Algeria's Imane Khelif poses after defeating China's Yang Liu to win gold in their women's 66 kg final boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif must undergo genetic sex screening to participate in upcoming events with the sport's new governing body. World Boxing announced mandatory sex testing for all athletes Friday. The governing body specifically mentioned Khelif when announcing the policy, saying the Algerian gold medal winner must be screened before she will be approved to fight at any upcoming events, including the Eindhoven Box Cup next month in the Netherlands. 'The introduction of mandatory testing will be part of a new policy on 'Sex, Age and Weight' to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women,' World Boxing wrote in a statement. The fighters' national federations will be responsible for administering the tests and providing the results to World Boxing. Khelif won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics last summer amid international scrutiny on her and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, another gold medal winner. The previous governing body for Olympic boxing, the Russian-dominated International Boxing Association, disqualified both fighters from its 2023 world championships after claiming they had failed an unspecified eligibility test. The IOC ran the past two Olympic boxing tournaments after the banishment of the IBA for decades of misdeeds and controversy, and it applied the sex eligibility rules used in previous Olympics. Khelif and Lin were eligible to compete under those standards. Khelif intends to return to international competition next month in Eindhoven as part of her plan to defend her gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics, but some boxers and their federations had already spoken out to protest her inclusion. Chromosome testing was common in Olympic sports during the 20th century, but was largely abandoned in the 1990s because of numerous ambiguities that couldn't be easily resolved by the tests, collectively known as differences in sex development (DSD). Many sports switched to hormone testing to determine sex eligibility, but those tests require governing bodies to make difficult decisions on the eligibility of women with naturally high testosterone levels. Three months ago, World Athletics — the governing body for track and field — became the first Olympic sport to reintroduce chromosome testing, requiring athletes who compete in the women's events to submit to the test once in their careers. World Boxing has been provisionally approved to replace the IBA as the governing body at the Los Angeles Games, but it has faced significant pressure from boxers and their federations to create sex eligibility standards. World Boxing announced that all athletes over 18 years old in its competitions must undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genetic test to determine their sex at birth. The PCR test detects chromosomal material through a mouth swab, saliva or blood. If an athlete intending to compete in the women's categories is determined to have male chromosomal material, 'initial screenings will be referred to independent clinical specialists for genetic screening, hormonal profiles, anatomical examination or other valuation of endocrine profiles by medical specialists,' World Boxing wrote. The policy also includes an appeals process. The boxing body's decision is the latest development in a tumultuous period in Olympic sex eligibility policy. The issue of transgender participation in sports has become an international flashpoint, with President Donald Trump and other conservative world leaders repeatedly weighing in. Earlier this year, World Athletics also proposed recommendations that would apply strict rules to athletes who were born female but had what the organization describes as naturally occurring testosterone levels in the typical male range. In 2023, World Athletics banned transgender athletes who had transitioned male to female and gone through male puberty. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said he felt confident that the body's new rules would withstand legal challenges. The 26-year-old Khelif had competed in women's boxing events under the IBA's auspices without controversy until the 2023 world championships. She had never won a major international competition before her dominant performance in the women's welterweight division in Paris.
West Australian
3 hours ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Imane Khelif: World Boxing tells Olympic gold medallist they must be sex tested before competing again
One of world sport's most controversial athlete's, Imane Khelif, has been dealt a body blow after the World Boxing organisation mandated that she must undergo sex testing before she will be able to compete in all-female matches again. The Paris Olympics boxing tournament was thrown under the world spotlight when Khelif competed in the women's 66kg category and one of her competitors was reduced to tears before throwing in the towel after 46 seconds of their bout, stating she should not have to fight a man. Despite being disqualified from the 2023 World Championships organised by the International Boxing Association for allegedly failing to meet gender eligibility criteria, Khelif was given the green light to compete in Paris and duly took the gold medal for her native Algeria. World Boxing announced on Friday that they are introducing mandatory sex testing to determine the eligibility of male and female athletes wishing to take part in their competitions. The body - who will oversee boxing at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 - said they had written to the Algerian boxing federation to say that until Khelif had undergone the test, she would not be able to compete in next month's Eindhoven Box Cup or any other women's event under their authority. World Boxing said they were introducing the rules as part of a new policy on sex, age and weight 'to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women'. The letter stated that in the event of a challenge by the federation or by World Boxing to Khelif's sex certification, Khelif would remain ineligible to compete until the dispute was resolved. In a television interview in March about the row over her involvement at the Olympics,Khelif said: 'I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl. 'I was born a girl, raised as a girl and have lived my entire life as one. 'I have competed in many tournaments, including the Tokyo Olympics and other major competitions, as well as four World Championships. 'All of these took place before I started winning and earning titles. But once I began achieving success, the campaigns against me started.' All athletes over 18 wishing to compete in a World Boxing owned or sanctioned event will need to undergo a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic test to determine their sex at birth and their eligibility to compete. Athletes deemed to be male at birth, as evidenced by the presence of Y chromosome genetic material (the SRY gene) or with a difference of sexual development (DSD) where male androgenisation occurs, will be eligible to compete in the male category, World Boxing said. Angela Carini representing Italy said she withdrew from the Olympic bout against to Khelif 'safeguard her life'. Carini's headgear became dislodged twice after punches before she quit and refused to shake Khelif's hand after the decision was announced. 'She felt pain in the nose and said to me, 'I don't want to fight more',' her Italian coach Emanuele Renzini said. 'People say, 'Don't go, it's dangerous, she's a man'. Maybe it's this (why she quit). 'It's not my decision, It's a difficult decision.'' With AAP.
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Body blow as Olympic gold medallist must undergo sex test
One of world sport's most controversial athlete's, Imane Khelif, has been dealt a body blow after the World Boxing organisation mandated that she must undergo sex testing before she will be able to compete in all-female matches again. The Paris Olympics boxing tournament was thrown under the world spotlight when Khelif competed in the women's 66kg category and one of her competitors was reduced to tears before throwing in the towel after 46 seconds of their bout, stating she should not have to fight a man. Despite being disqualified from the 2023 World Championships organised by the International Boxing Association for allegedly failing to meet gender eligibility criteria, Khelif was given the green light to compete in Paris and duly took the gold medal for her native Algeria. World Boxing announced on Friday that they are introducing mandatory sex testing to determine the eligibility of male and female athletes wishing to take part in their competitions. The body - who will oversee boxing at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 - said they had written to the Algerian boxing federation to say that until Khelif had undergone the test, she would not be able to compete in next month's Eindhoven Box Cup or any other women's event under their authority. World Boxing said they were introducing the rules as part of a new policy on sex, age and weight 'to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women'. The letter stated that in the event of a challenge by the federation or by World Boxing to Khelif's sex certification, Khelif would remain ineligible to compete until the dispute was resolved. In a television interview in March about the row over her involvement at the Olympics,Khelif said: 'I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl. 'I was born a girl, raised as a girl and have lived my entire life as one. 'I have competed in many tournaments, including the Tokyo Olympics and other major competitions, as well as four World Championships. 'All of these took place before I started winning and earning titles. But once I began achieving success, the campaigns against me started.' All athletes over 18 wishing to compete in a World Boxing owned or sanctioned event will need to undergo a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic test to determine their sex at birth and their eligibility to compete. Athletes deemed to be male at birth, as evidenced by the presence of Y chromosome genetic material (the SRY gene) or with a difference of sexual development (DSD) where male androgenisation occurs, will be eligible to compete in the male category, World Boxing said. Angela Carini representing Italy said she withdrew from the Olympic bout against to Khelif 'safeguard her life'. Carini's headgear became dislodged twice after punches before she quit and refused to shake Khelif's hand after the decision was announced. 'She felt pain in the nose and said to me, 'I don't want to fight more',' her Italian coach Emanuele Renzini said. 'People say, 'Don't go, it's dangerous, she's a man'. Maybe it's this (why she quit). 'It's not my decision, It's a difficult decision.'' With AAP.
