Imane Khelif undergoes gender test

Boxing’s new umbrella organization requires DNA tests from athletes.

Olympic gold medalist, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, will undergo gender testing, reports the AP news agency, among others.

The new boxing governing body, World Boxing, announced on Friday that Khelif will have to undergo a mandatory genetic test to be eligible to compete in future events. The new rule applies to all boxers, but Khelif was singled out in the announcement.

The 26-year-old Khelif won gold at last summer’s Paris Olympics, but his and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting’s eligibility has been in dispute before. The pair were banned from the 2023 World Championships by the previous Russian-led boxing federation over unclear eligibility tests.

Now World Boxing is taking a stricter line and requiring all athletes over the age of 18 to take a DNA test.

– The introduction of mandatory testing is part of a new gender, age and weight policy to ensure the safety of all participants and guarantee a level playing field for men and women, World Boxing wrote in a statement.

Genetic tests are performed using the PCR method, which determines chromosomes from a saliva, blood or cheek cell sample. If an athlete competes in the women’s category but is found to have male chromosomes, more detailed medical examinations and a possible ban from competition may be required.

Khelifi is set to return to international competition at the Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands in June as part of his preparations for the Los Angeles Olympics. However, his participation has sparked opposition from fellow boxers and federations.