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The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) International body has instituted mandatory genetic sex testing for all athletes aged 18+ who wish to compete in its sanctioned events. The move is part of the policy on “Sex, Age, and Weight” to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver equal opportunities and a fair, competitive environment for both men and women.
Effective July 1st, the policy requires athletes to undergo a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic test to determine their sex at birth and their eligibility to compete. Additionally, the National Federations will be responsible for testing and are required to confirm the athlete’s sex when entering them into World Boxing competitions by providing certification of their chromosomal sex, as determined by a PCR test. Athletes who refuse or fail to provide test results will be barred from competition.
In its first announcement, World Boxing publicly singled out Imane Khelif, the Algerian Olympic women’s welterweight gold medalist, as an example of someone who must undergo testing before competing again. The new sex-testing policy, along with World Boxing’s reference to Khelif, has reignited concerns over gender policing, racialized scrutiny, and the institutional power in the sport.
In response, World Boxing has issued an apology for naming Khelif in its announcement, admitting that associating a policy rollout with an individual was inappropriate.
The organization claims the new rule is intended to ensure fairness in combat sports. With public scrutiny mounting, many see this as an expansion of sex-testing practices that have historically been used to scrutinize and regulate the bodies of athletes who do not conform to traditional gender norms.
