World Boxing has announced mandatory gender tests for men and women wishing to compete in its events, just two weeks before its inaugural World Championships in Liverpool from 4 to 14 September.
The policy came into effect on Wednesday. “The policy is designed to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women,” World Boxing said.
All athletes wishing to take part in a World Boxing competition will need to undergo a one-off PCR (polymerase chain reaction) or a functional medical equivalent genetic screening test to determine their sex at birth and eligibility to compete. Female athletes over the age of 18 are included under the directive.
“The directive is intended to ensure the safety of all participants and create a level playing field for men and women,” the organisation added in a press release.
The guideline was developed by a working group of the medical department and the anti-doping committee at World Boxing. Experts were consulted, and the group also discussed “legal, social and sporting developments in connection with the issue of sexual fitness,” the body confirmed.
The new rules follow controversies at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, where Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting won gold medals despite being barred from the 2023 World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA). The IBA cited gender tests, claiming neither athlete met the participation criteria and had “competitive advantages compared to other female participants.”
The International Olympic Committee criticised the IBA decision as “an arbitrary decision without due process” and allowed both athletes to compete in Paris. The IOC confirmed that the gender listed in the passport was decisive for eligibility.
Last month, World Athletics also introduced a sex test for athletes wishing to compete in the female category, signalling a wider focus on gender eligibility in international sport.
World Boxing was recognised as a partner by the IOC Executive Board in February and is set to organise boxing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The IOC previously organised the 2024 Paris and 2020 Tokyo boxing tournaments following the suspension of the IBA.
“The gender eligibility debate gained a lot of attention at last summer’s Olympic Games in Paris,” the statement noted. The new policy is seen as part of World Boxing’s efforts to standardise competition rules and maintain boxing’s status in the Olympic programme.
The first World Championships under World Boxing will test the new regulations and may prompt appeals, with Khelif’s participation still to be confirmed. The organisation said it will monitor compliance closely while aiming to ensure “fair and safe competition” for all athletes.
