Madrid (EFE).- Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against World Boxing’s (WB) decision not to allow athletes to participate in its competitions without a preliminary sex verification test.
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The CAS confirmed this Monday the claim of the 26-year-old Algerian boxer, questioned for her gender and the subject of several international controversies in recent years, the most recent last summer for her participation in the Paris Olympic Games, in which she won gold in the 66-kilo category.
Khelif presented her appeal on August 5th and requests to revoke World Boxing’s decision to not allow her to participate in the Eindhoven World Cup or any other competition until she undergoes a sex verification test.
Participate in the World Boxing Championships
The Algerian athlete also demands that the CAS declare her eligible without undergoing any tests to participate in the World Boxing Championships to be held from September 4 to 14 in Liverpool (United Kingdom).
The CAS explained that it has rejected Khelif’s request to suspend the execution of World Boxing’s decision until a hearing is held.
World Boxing (WB), the federation endorsed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to organize boxing events in the Games, began on July 1st to conduct mandatory examinations to identify the sex of the pugilists participating in its competitions, both men and women.
It is the first Olympic federation to impose this measure in order to verify the biological gender of boxers, guarantee “the safety of all participants and offer equal competitive conditions” to athletes.
Genetic tests are applied to boxers over 18 years of age using PCR, a technique used to detect specific genetic material, in this case the SRY gene, located on the Y chromosome, responsible for male sexual characteristics.
The test is done by taking a sample via the nasal or buccal route, from saliva or blood.
World Boxing Sex Examination
WB has implemented sex verification through a working group composed of personnel from its Medical and Anti-Doping Committee, which has examined medical data and evidence from various sources and consulted with different experts.
Boxers who show the presence of genetic material from the Y chromosome or with a difference of sexual development (DSD) that presents a male hormonal profile may compete in the men’s category.
Female pugilists considered female at birth for having XX chromosomes or with a DSD without male androgens will participate in the women’s tournament.
Without chromosomal sex certification, registration in the tournament will not be possible.
The verification will be applied in the ten women’s categories of the Liverpool tournament.
