Due to gender test? Controversial Olympic champion Iman Khelif to miss boxing world championships
Iman Khelif will miss the boxing world championships due to a mandatory gender test. The Algerian boxer will not compete at the upcoming tournament, which will take place in Liverpool from September 4 to 14, according to Sky Sports.
The athlete, who was at the center of a high-profile scandal at the 2024 Paris Olympics over suspicions of not meeting gender criteria, did not submit an application to participate in the tournament. Instead, Algeria will send another representative in the welterweight division.
Recall that the athlete won a gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games in the welterweight category. However, her victory was met with sharp criticism, and the International Boxing Association (IBA) had previously suspended her from the 2023 world championships.
Now, World Boxing has introduced new rules: all participants in women's categories are required to undergo gender testing (swab, saliva, or blood analysis) to be eligible for competition.
It should be noted that Khelif, who is 26 years old, has not entered the ring since the Paris Games, but has repeatedly emphasized that she was born a woman and plans to defend her title at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
