World Boxing Set To Introduce Mandatory Gender Testing
The governing body announced the introduction of mandatory gender tests in order to determine the eligibility of pugilists who intend to participate in its events.
World Boxing announced the introduction of mandatory gender tests in order to determine the eligibility of pugilists who intend to participate in the governing body's events.
The move comes in response to the ubiquitous uproar stirred up during the Paris 2024 Olympic games over the participation of boxer Imane Khelif in the women's category. The Algerian boxer, who clinched women's welterweight gold medal at the Games in France, has been informed that she would have to take the test in order to be able to compete at the upcoming Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands.
World Boxing will introduce mandatory sex testing, to determine the eligibility of male and female athletes that want to take part in its competitions.For full story, click here: https://t.co/L9nn6wxEdj #TimeForWorldBoxing pic.twitter.com/66OhsWiEbp
— World Boxing (@RealWorldBoxing) May 30, 2025
'World Boxing has written to the Algerian Boxing Federation to inform it that Imane Khelif will not be allowed to participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup or any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes sex testing," the world governing body said.
'In accordance with the World Boxing Statutes, amendments to the Competition Rules are typically made by Congress. However, under special or emergency circumstances, the World Boxing Executive Board holds the authority to make immediate amendments when a rule is deemed no longer functional or when evolving conditions necessitate a change," World Boxing continued.
'In May 2025, the Executive Board exercised this authority and adopted new eligibility criteria for participation in sex-specific boxing categories. These new eligibility rules were developed with the express purpose of safeguarding athletes in combat sports, particularly given the physical risks associated with Olympic-style boxing," the statement added.
The controversy at Paris around the gender eligibility was not limited to Khelif alone as Taiwanese pugilist Lin Yu-Ting also faced scrutiny over the same en route to her gold triumph in the women's featherweight category.
Then IOC chief Thomas Bach defender the participation of the boxers in their respective events stating that, 'There was never any doubt about them being a woman".
World Boxing will organise the boxing competition at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
First Published:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
4 hours ago
- News18
Half-And-Half? Unique Medals For 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics Revealed
Last Updated: The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics medals were unveiled in Venice, attended by Federica Pellegrini and Francesca Porcellato. They symbolize athletes' journeys. Organisers of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics have officially revealed the medal designs for the upcoming Games, scheduled to take place next year. The unveiling took place on Tuesday during a ceremony in Venice, attended by celebrated Italian sports icons Federica Pellegrini, an Olympic swimming champion, and Francesca Porcellato, a multi-sport Paralympic gold medallist. The medals feature a unique design that combines two halves that symbolise the culmination of the athlete's journey and all those who have walked beside them along the way. Each medal features the iconic Olympic five rings on one side, while the reverse is engraved with details of the event and the venue—a design mirrored for the Paralympic medals, which instead carry the Paralympic agitos symbol. 'Each medal, whether Olympic or Paralympic, is a story etched into metal: it speaks of effort, determination, sacrifice, and the hopes of those who have lived to reach the podium," said Giovanni Malagò, President of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Foundation. The medals were produced by the Italian State Mint (IPZS), which operates under the Ministry of Economy. Each piece symbolizes both national craftsmanship and the emotional journey of elite sport. A total of 245 gold, 245 silver, and 245 bronze medals will be awarded during the Winter Olympic Games. The Paralympic Games will see 137 medals presented in each of the three categories. The unveiling of the Milano Cortina 2026 medals follows February's reveal of the mascots and April's reveal of the torches for the upcoming Winter Olympic and Paralympic torch relays. The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 take place next year from 6-22 February, with the Paralympic Winter Games following from 6-16 March. view comments First Published: July 15, 2025, 23:31 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
4 hours ago
- India Today
Marathon legend Fauja Singh dies at 114 after being hit by vehicle in Punjab
Marathon legend Fauja Singh has died at the age of 114. Known as 'Turbaned Tornado', Singh was reportedly hit by a vehicle while crossing a road in Jalandhar, Punjab, at approximately 3:30 pm yesterday. Having started his running career at the age of 89 to manage personal grief, he became a global source of inspiration. Singh completed numerous marathons on various continents and was a torchbearer for the Olympic torch in 2012. Author Khushwant Singh, who documented his life in a biography, confirmed the news after communicating with Fauja Singh's family. In a social media post, the author expressed his grief over the loss of a person he revered. Fauja Singh's legacy of perseverance continues to inspire.
Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Indian Express
Shooting world shot by new rules: Single canvas jackets likely to lead to lighter rifles, loss in stability and emphasis on shooting position
Tired of near perfect shooting scores, and 'penguin walks' in high profile tournaments like the World Championships and Olympics in tightly wound together jackets raising eyebrows, the world body of shooting has proposed some radical changes. These intend to put the onus of technique back in the hands of shooters and their level of training, rather than the gear doing all the work for them. The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) has put forward these proposals after shooters started achieving the peak of scores possible in the sport. The proposal also hints at a rejig of the current world records, similar to how the sport of javelin underwent — and will start from the 2026 season, possibly to give manufacturers and shooters time to align with ISSF rules. The ISSF, in a report tabled by Sporting Director Peter Underhill noted that the way the sport was being presented due to the clothing of athletes was being discussed at 'the highest levels of IOC'. 'Currently, athletes being unable to walk properly in their sports clothing and the whole image of our athletes encased in suits of iron risks bringing the sport into disrepute,' the ISSF said on the 2025 Rifle Clothing Workshop document. If ratified, the change would be the biggest in the Olympic discipline since 2012 when the decimal point scoring system was introduced. The chief area of change proposed by the ISSF is towards the rifle jacket. Modern jackets are made of two layers of canvas all over, with button holes and straps that tightly bind together the body of the shooter in an ideal position — and keep that position consistent over the period of a competition. This kind of clothing was leading to what Indian national team rifle coach Deepali Deshpande described as 'technical doping'. 'They have not asked to reduce the thickness of the jacket. The new rules will have some effect on the back and shooter's stability. The scores will no longer go as high as they do currently,' said Deshpande to the Indian Express. 'As mentioned in the document, it's currently like technical doping. The only issue is that changing gear will cost athletes money.' Other than the issue of cost (the ISSF document mentions that current gear can be modified to adhere to these planned changes), the change in gear may likely upset the apple cart. Take the Indian case. A new generation of rifle shooters have emerged; domestic competition in India is as tough, if not tougher than the international stage. But the young lineup of shooters that have only known the double canvas gear, will now have to adjust to learning what the ideal state of their body should be during a competition – and then go through countless repetition cycles to fight for scores lower than what they usually expect. Those consistent 10.8s and 10.9s might be a relic of the past. 'A lot of the new shooters who have started with this kit will have a problem. They'll have to work hard on their fitness. Earlier shooters were making it to the Indian team within two-three years. They will have to really work hard to maintain their spot,' said Deshpande, who is the coach of Paris Olympics bronze medallist Swapnil Kusale. Stiffer jackets allowed shooters to use heavier rifles, which allowed more stability, which in turn led to higher scores. But these new rules would lead to changes across the board. Shooters like Arjun Babuta and Rudrankksh Patil, who use lighter rifles, may have to adjust, while shooters with heavier rifles might have to go for newer equipment altogether. 'By default, these rifles are heavy and there really isn't much that can be done in making them lighter. That way, it may be an expensive affair. Even rifle manufacturing companies will have to come up with something different,' said Deshpande. She also said that the old guard of Indian shooting might not be as affected. Anjum Moudgil, a former World Championship medallist and staple Olympian of the Indian shooting team continues to be one of the few shooters domestically who still wear a single canvas jacket. For Moudgil, sticking to her single layered jacket came from a place of wanting to be the best in her discipline, without the help of a stiff jacket putting her in ideal spots. 'I was never tempted to use double layered jackets because I knew it was the jacket that was helping athletes,' said Moudgil. 'Many coaches in the past have asked me to use these jackets but somewhere, being in this sport for so many years and not being dependent on the equipment but my body and my training, gave me a lot of confidence. I may not have shot high scores but I knew that I could be consistent. In warm weather the jacket can get loose but those factors don't affect me like other shooters,' added the 31-year-old Olympian. 2016 Rio Olympic gold medallist Virginia Thrasher welcomed the change and said that the move would bring technical expertise and positional knowledge back to the forefront of the sport. 'This will hopefully help athletes and coaches see the need for robust positions (rather than dangerous positions that shoot well). We will undoubtedly see changes in what a 'good' position is and those who are the most open to change will reap the rewards,' she said on her Instagram.
