Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif is set to undergo genetic sex screening to ensure her eligibility for upcoming competitions under the sport’s new governing body.

World Boxing has announced mandatory sex testing for all athletes,singling out Khelif as the first athlete who must be screened before participating in any future events,including the Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands next month. The association stated that the new policy on “Sex, Age and Weight” aims to ensure fairness and safety for all competitors.

“The introduction of mandatory testing will be part of a new policy on ‘Sex, Age and Weight’ to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women,” World Boxing wrote in a statement. National federations will be responsible for conducting the tests and reporting the results to World Boxing.

Khelif’s gold medal win at the Paris Olympics last summer was met with international attention, as was the performance of Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting. Both athletes had previously been disqualified from the International Boxing Association’s (IBA) 2023 world championships due to unspecified eligibility concerns.

The international Olympic Committee (IOC) oversaw the last two Olympic boxing tournaments after the IBA’s banishment due to misconduct. The IOC applied existing olympic sex eligibility rules, under which both Khelif and Lin were eligible to compete.

Despite the controversy,Khelif plans to compete in Eindhoven next month as part of her preparation to defend her gold medal at the Los angeles Olympics. Though, some boxers and federations have voiced opposition to her participation.

The Science of Sex Verification in Sports

Chromosome testing was a common practice in Olympic sports during the 20th century but was largely discontinued in the 1990s due to unresolved ambiguities related to differences in sex growth (DSD).

Many sports then shifted to hormone testing to determine sex eligibility, which requires governing bodies to make complex decisions about women with naturally high testosterone levels.

“The introduction of mandatory testing will be part of a new policy on ‘Sex, Age and Weight’ to ensure the safety of all participants…”

World Athletics,the governing body for track and field,recently reintroduced chromosome testing,requiring female athletes to undergo the test once in their careers.

World Boxing is seeking approval to replace the IBA as the governing body for the Los Angeles Games and faces pressure to establish clear sex eligibility standards.

The organization announced that all athletes over 18 must undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genetic test to determine their sex at birth. This test identifies chromosomal material using a mouth swab, saliva, or blood sample.

According to World Boxing, if an athlete competing in women’s categories is found to have male chromosomal material, “initial screenings will be referred to independent clinical specialists for genetic screening, hormonal profiles, anatomical examination or other valuation of endocrine profiles by medical specialists”. The policy also includes an appeals process.

This decision is the latest development in the ongoing debate over Olympic sex eligibility policies, with transgender participation in sports becoming a significant point of contention internationally.

Earlier this year,World Athletics proposed strict rules for athletes born female with naturally high testosterone levels. In 2023, they banned transgender athletes who transitioned from male to female and underwent male puberty.

World Athletics president Sebastian coe expressed confidence that the new rules would withstand legal challenges.

Khelif, 26, competed in women’s boxing events under the IBA without controversy until the 2023 world championships. Her gold medal in the women’s welterweight division in Paris was her first major international victory.