French Women’s Boxing Team Barred from World Championships over Late Genetic Sex Tests

The French women's boxing team was barred from participating in the inaugural World Boxing Championships in Liverpool after failing to meet the deadline for mandatory genetic sex test results required by World Boxing's new policy. The French Boxing Federation (FFBoxe) explained that such tests are banned in France without strict medical prescriptions, forcing the team to undergo testing in an English laboratory, which failed to deliver results on time. Despite assurances from World Boxing that results would be provided within 24 hours, the delay led to the exclusion of French athletes and others from foreign delegations, causing significant frustration and disappointment among the affected boxers. FFBoxe condemned the situation as a bureaucratic failure and an unfair punishment of athletes, describing the policy's late communication as a major issue. World Boxing maintains the tests are necessary to ensure safety and fairness in competition, though FFBoxe is considering an appeal against the exclusion. Boxers like Maelys Richol expressed that a year of hard work was wasted due to poor management rather than sporting reasons.