The global governing body of World Boxing has announced that mandatory sex testing will be implemented for all women competitors at the 2026 World Championships in Liverpool, sparking controversy and raising fresh concerns for reigning Olympic champion Imane Khelif of Algeria.
The policy requires athletes to undergo genetic screening such as PCR tests to detect Y chromosome material, which World Boxing will use to determine biological sex at birth. National federations must conduct and submit the results before the event.
While athletes with Y chromosome material will not be automatically banned, those with differences in sex development (DSD) linked to male androgenization will only be cleared for the men’s division unless further evaluations are completed. Appeals will be permitted.
World Boxing president Boris Van Der Vorst defended the move, citing “safety and fairness” in a combat sport, while stressing respect for inclusivity.
The development is seen as a huge setback for Khelif, who has long faced scrutiny and speculation over her sex despite asserting she was born a woman and competing in women’s boxing for nearly a decade. She withdrew from a World Boxing event in the Netherlands earlier this year after the first announcement of the protocol.
The decision mirrors broader trends across sports, with World Athletics also reintroducing chromosome testing and mandating one-time checks for all women athletes by September 1.
