Imane Khelif Skips Boxing Event Amid Controversial Sex Testing Policy

In a twist that could rival any championship bout, Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif has opted out of a boxing tournament in the Netherlands, just as World Boxing rolled out its controversial mandatory sex testing policy. The Algerian boxer, who clinched gold at the Paris Games last summer amidst a storm of eligibility debates, missed the registration deadline for the event in Hotel Eindhoven.

Khelif had been gearing up for a return to the international ring, but the new policy dropped like a surprise uppercut last Friday. The decision has sparked a heated response from Eindhoven’s Mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who penned a sharp critique to the Dutch and International Boxing Federations. "Excluding athletes based on controversial gender tests doesn’t align with our values," he declared, urging the organization to reconsider and admit Khelif.

The heart of the controversy lies in past chromosome tests conducted by the International Boxing Association (IBA), which reportedly indicated male karyotypes for Khelif. These results, from before the 2022 and 2023 world championships, led to her disqualification in 2023. Yet, Khelif powered through the criticism at the Paris Olympics, securing gold despite the global spotlight on her gender eligibility. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has distanced itself from the IBA over governance issues, emphasized that eligibility rules are up to individual federations, awaiting details on how sex testing will be fairly implemented.

Through it all, Khelif has stood firm, asserting her identity as female. "I was born a girl, raised as a girl, and have lived my entire life as one," she stated, brushing off policies like President Donald Trump’s executive order on transgender participation in sports as irrelevant to her situation. With plans to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Khelif remains undeterred, even filing lawsuits against online detractors.

This saga raises bigger questions about fairness, identity, and the rules of the game in modern sports. As the punches—both literal and figurative—continue to fly, one thing is clear: Imane Khelif isn’t stepping out of the ring anytime soon.