World Boxing, the new international Olympic boxing regulatory body, will make all boxers take a genetic test to prove their sex. The organization announced this as part of their new 'Sex, Age and Weight' policy, which starts on July 1. They say it's to keep everyone safe and make sure men and women compete fairly.
From July 1, every boxer over 18 will need to take a genetic PCR test. The National Federations will run these tests and must confirm each boxer's sex when they sign up for competitions.
If a woman boxer's test shows Y chromosome genetic material or a possible difference in sexual development, she'll be sent to independent clinical specialists for more evaluation.
This new rule comes after some controversy in the sport. Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer who won gold at the Paris Games, was kept out of the 2023 World Championships. The International Boxing Association (IBA) said she failed gender eligibility tests.
Recently, World Boxing didn't let Khelif compete in the Eindhoven Boxing Cup from June 5-10. They said she can't take part in any World Boxing event until she takes a sex test. The organization explained:
"Imane Khelif will not be allowed to compete in the women's category at the Eindhoven Boxing Cup or any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes a sex test."
They said this decision was about keeping all boxers safe and protecting everyone's mental and physical health.
World Boxing is pretty new. It started in April 2023 to make sure boxing stays in the Olympics. They've made quick progress. In May 2024, they had their first formal meeting with the IOC. By February 25, 2025, they got provisional IOC recognition. Then on March 20, 2025, the IOC said boxing would be back for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Before World Boxing, the International Boxing Association (IBA) was in charge. Now, with these new rules, World Boxing hopes to keep the sport fair and safe for everyone involved.
