World Boxing introduces mandatory sexual testing for boxers at all competitions.
Iman Kelif, who won Olympic welterweight gold in Paris in the women’s category last summer, will not be able to compete until she takes the test.
World Boxing wrote to the Algerian Boxing Federation that Kerif is not eligible to participate in the Eindhoven Box Cup, or the world’s boxing events until the Eindhoven Box Cup is held next month, or its tests.
The letter states, “Iman Kerif may not be part of the Eindhoven Box Cup women category on June 5-10, 2025, and there will be boxing events around the world until Iman Kerif undergoes genetic sex screening according to World Boxing rules and testing procedures.”
Keriff is said to have not met gender eligibility criteria despite being disqualified from the 2023 World Championships hosted by the International Boxing Association (IBA) at the 2024 Olympics by the 2024 Olympics.
What does the test involve?
The PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test used by World Boxing determines the gender at birth and wants to compete where all athletes over the age of 18 need to take one.
In this test, the genetic material is looking for is the SRY gene.
The SRY gene is almost always on the Y chromosome and plays an important role in determining male sexual characteristics.
This test can be performed using nose or mouth swabs, saliva or blood.
Athletes who are considered to have differences in sexual development (DSD) that occur in male androagence, as evidenced by the presence of Y-chromosome genetic material (SRY genes), or as evidenced by the presence of male androagence, are eligible to compete in the male category, World Boxing said.
Speaking in March, Keriff said: “I consider myself a girl just like any other girl. I was born and raised as a girl and lived my life alone.”
Khelif won a silver medal in the light welterweight division at the 2022 World Championships
World Boxing: Policies designed to ensure safety and equal playing fields
In a statement, World Boxing said: “The introduction of mandatory tests will be part of a new policy on gender, age and weight to ensure the safety of all participants and provide a competitive level of arena for men and women.
“World Boxing respects the dignity of all individuals, and its top priority is to ensure safety and fairness in competition for all athletes.
“To do this, it is essential that strict categories determined by gender are maintained and implemented, meaning that boxing around the world operates only competition for athletes classified as male or female.”
The policy also includes the appeal process.
“It’s a dull tool, but it could provide clarity.”
Sky Sports News Senior Reporter Gerlan Hughes:
“There are several reasons why boxing around the world can do this, one of which is because there is a lot of noise to stop the noise.
“Some boxers described it as, ‘Why is Kerif in Eindhoven?” And there’s a lot of hatred, especially on social media.
“There was so much misinformation and misconception around Kerif. She’s not a trans athlete. Her passport and her birth certificate say she’s a woman.
“If the test comes back and she has two X chromosomes, she is a woman, and she has no DSD, this is the end of the discussion. You can get an explanation in some way.
Keriff will need to take the test to continue boxing while he looks at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles
“World Boxing has got this by nodding to the sport’s governing body two months ago at amateur and Olympic level.
“While the next few weeks will be another difficult one for Khelif, we may get some clarity at the end of this process.
“If the test is done once and the boxers are legal, signed in a certified lab and they are either women or men who think everything is done properly, that’s a very clear purpose in the matter.
“But the warning is that you can take another test.”
