Imane Khelif has been dealt another setback in their career after being denied entry into the World Boxing Championships this week.
With the Algerian’s true gender still a major talking point in the world of women’s boxing, the 26-year-old has witnessed their major achievements in the sport being discredited by viewers. All their troubles were thrust into the public eye during their dominant performance at the Paris Summer Olympics, where they earned gold last year.
Now, Imane Khelif will be unable to continue their pursuit of greatness after almost being refused a spot at the World Boxing Championships.
The event will get underway in Liverpool, England, on Thursday, and a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport has prevented them from competing at any World Boxing events.
Should Khelif wish to resume their career, they must first take an SRY gene test. The test is designed to uncover the existence of any Y chromosome, indicating that one is a male.
If the genetic sex test comes back as negative for any Y chromosome, Khelif will be able to compete at any forthcoming World Boxing events.
Related: Emotional Imane Khelif takes legal action after medical report leaks
On Monday, an appeal was lodged to CAS by Khelif, hoping to challenge the rules. A hearing for the appeal is yet to take place, with rumors that it may take several weeks before a tribunal commences.
Until Imane Khelif’s plea is heard, they will be unable to compete at any World Boxing event. Khelif has already missed out on the Box Cup in Eindhoven earlier this year, and will now be forced on the sidelines once again for the aforementioned World Boxing Championships, which run from September 4 through the 14th.
The controversy surrounding Khelif’s name continues to rage on. If unable to provide evidence of being a female, further repercussions could await Khelif in the future.
