Five French boxers cannot compete at the World Championships in Liverpool because their gender test results arrived too late. The French Boxing Federation announced on Wednesday evening that it learned of the decision “with astonishment and outrage.” The championship bouts continue in Liverpool until September 14.
Federation Blames World Boxing for Failures
French law prohibits gender tests, preventing the athletes from completing them before the tournament. World Boxing knew about the situation from the beginning and directed the athletes to a laboratory in Leeds, two hours from Liverpool. The French federation stressed that World Boxing had promised results within 24 hours if the tests were taken on Monday. This would have allowed registration on time. The lab, however, failed to deliver the results quickly enough. Athletes from other delegations also faced exclusion for the same reason. French Sports Minister Marie Barsacq called the incident “unacceptable.”
Background on the New Gender Testing Rules
World Boxing introduced mandatory gender tests for women at the championships after debates over Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan during the Paris Olympics. Under the new rule, adult female athletes must undergo a PCR test or an equivalent genetic screening to confirm their biological sex at birth. Khelif has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the ruling that bans her from competing in upcoming events without first completing a genetic test.
