Olympic Champion Imane Khelif Appeals World Boxing Gender Ban

Algerian Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against World Boxing's decision to bar her from participating in competitions without undergoing a mandatory genetic sex test. The ban stems from a 2023 ruling by the International Boxing Association (IBA) that Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting failed gender eligibility tests, although the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed Khelif to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics based on her female passport status. Despite her Olympic success and repeated assertions that she was born female, Khelif has refused the genetic testing and has not competed since the 2024 Games. CAS rejected a request to suspend World Boxing's ban ahead of a hearing, making her ineligible for the 2025 World Boxing Championships. Khelif has denied retirement rumors and affirmed her commitment to continue boxing, training between Algeria and Qatar while awaiting the outcome of the appeal. The case remains ongoing with confidential proceedings, highlighting ongoing tensions between athlete rights and gender verification policies in international boxing.