World Boxing apologizes to Imane Khelif after publicly naming her in new mandatory sex testing policy controversy.
The World Boxing’s president issued a formal apology to Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif after the governing body publicly referenced her in its new mandatory sex testing policy. The announcement has sparked intense backlash as the details of her chromosome test were leaked which consequently has raised privacy concerns.
The World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst has issued a formal apology to the Olympic gold medallist Imane Khelif following the governing body’s announcement of a mandatory sex testing policy that has specifically referenced her. The policy release has ignited controversy after Khelif’s biological sex was publicly questioned which led to significant criticism over the violation of her privacy.
In 2023, a chromosome test was allegedly conducted on Kherigg by Dr Lal Path Labs which reportedly has revealed XY markers which are an indication of a ‘male’ karyotype.’ This information, meant to be private was leaked to the media and it has fueled intense debates over whether Kherigg should be allowed to compete in women’s boxing categories. The mentioned Karyotype tests are meant to analyze chromosomes to determine one’s biological sex, where XX indicates a female and XY indicates a male.
World boxing has defended their new policy, stating that this test related to sex, age and weight is designed to maintain a fair competitive environment and for the safety of the participants. It was developed by a specialised group of medical and anti-doping experts.
Van der Vorst, the president, has personally apologized to the Algerian Boxing Federation, acknowledging that Khelif’s privacy should have been respected and has emphasized the organization’s respect for the athlete.
The case has highlighted the complexities and sensitivities that surround biological testing in sports and has raised important questions about protecting athletes’ rights while striving for fairness and safety in competition.
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