Panama City: World Boxing has issued an apology after publicly naming Imane Khelif in its recent announcement regarding mandatory sex testing for all boxers competing under its jurisdiction. The global governing body acknowledged that the Paris Olympics gold medallist’s privacy should have been better safeguarded.
The announcement, made last week, came less than a year after Khelif claimed gold at the Paris Olympics amid ongoing controversies surrounding gender eligibility in sport. World Boxing, which was granted provisional recognition by the International Olympic Committee and will oversee boxing competitions at the 2028 Olympics, had stated it sent a letter to the Algerian Boxing Federation indicating that Khelif “may not participate in the female category” of any World Boxing event until she completes the required testing.
According to a source, World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst personally reached out to Abdelkader Abbas, president of the Algerian Boxing Federation, to apologise for the public disclosure of Khelif’s name. Van der Vorst emphasized that World Boxing should have taken stronger measures to protect Khelif’s confidentiality.
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The announcement detailed that all athletes over the age of 18 must undergo a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic test, which can be performed via nasal or mouth swabs, saliva, or blood samples.
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Neither Khelif nor representatives of the Algerian Boxing Federation were immediately available for comment. The Algerian federation officially joined World Boxing in September, becoming one of more than 100 national federations to affiliate with the organisation since its establishment in 2023.
