Iman Khelif, a boxer at the center of the Olympic gender discussion, is opting out of boxing tournaments in the Netherlands after World Boxing announced a new requirement for sexual testing among all athletes.
The Algerian athlete, who secured a gold medal in a Paris competition amid scrutiny of her eligibility last summer, failed to register on time for the tournament before the Thursday deadline.
Khelif had intended to return to international competition at the Hotel Eindhoven event, but the announcement regarding the sexual testing policy came out last Friday.
Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the Mayor of Eindhoven, expressed his discontent with World Boxing’s decision.
“From our perspective, all athletes are welcome in Eindhoven, except those subjected to the controversial ‘gender test,’ which is not in line with our values,” Dijsselbloem communicated in a letter to both the Dutch Boxing Federation and the International Boxing Federation. “We conveyed our disapproval of this decision today and urged the organization to reconsider Iman Khelif’s situation.”
Reports from 3 Wir Sports indicated that Khelif’s DNA identified a “marker of male karyotype,” according to medical documents from tests conducted by the International Boxing Association (IBA) prior to the 2022 and 2023 World Championships.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recognized the IBA, despite ongoing concerns regarding its governance, reliance on Russian energy firm Gazprom, and the integrity of competitions.
Documents obtained by 3 Wire Sports detailed that “chromosomal analysis shows the male karyotype. No numerical or chromosomal irregularities were detected at a banding resolution of 450-550.” This analysis took place at Dr. Lal Pathlabs in New Delhi before the boxing championship.
Inquiries from Fox News Digital were directed to World Boxing, the Algerian Olympic Committee, and Khelif’s representative for comments.
On Tuesday morning, the IOC issued a statement to Fox News Digital.
“The IOC has consistently stated that eligibility criteria fall under the jurisdiction of each League of Nations,” the IOC explained. “Factors impacting sport performance are specific to each sport, discipline, or event. We will clarify how sex tests are conducted in a manner that is safe, fair, and enforceable.”
Khelif faced disqualification from the 2023 championships before a gold medal match due to gender eligibility disputes.
As gender controversy emerged following Olympic qualifications, Khelif gained significant attention. She defeated Angela Carini in her initial match during the Paris Games, with the IOC supporting her position.
Despite the escalating controversy, Khelif continued to win and ultimately claimed a gold medal. Nonetheless, the IBA disqualified both her and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Thing from the World Championships based on “results that do not fulfill the eligibility criteria for participating in the outlined women’s competition as stated in IBA regulations.”
The IBA emphasized that this decision was crucial for ensuring fair competition and maintaining integrity.
Additionally, the IBA disclosed that Khelif had undergone two tests, one in 2022 and another in 2023.
Khelif appealed the IBA’s decision to the court for the arbitration of sports but later retracted her appeal, effectively accepting the IBA’s ruling.
Throughout the controversy, Khelif has maintained that she identifies as female.
She has also pursued legal action against critics on social media.
In light of the new sexual testing policy, Khelif had initially planned to participate in the 2028 Olympics, despite previous political statements dismissing the inclusion of trans athletes in women’s sports.
Khelif stated in an interview that the policy does not pertain to her. “The US President has made announcements regarding American transgender policy. I do not identify as transgender. This does not pertain to me and isn’t a threat to my identity. That’s my stance,” she told the outlet.
“I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl. I was born and raised that way and have lived my life as such.”
