Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif Barred from World Championship Once Again.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) has once again ruled against Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, excluding her from the upcoming Women's World Boxing Championship, set to take place in Nis, Serbia, from March 8 to March 16, 2025. The decision was based on her alleged failure to meet the organization’s “gender eligibility criteria.” This marks another chapter in an ongoing controversy that previously sidelined Khelif from international competition for similar reasons.
According to reports, the IBA’s decision stems from a 2023 test that allegedly confirmed elevated testosterone levels in Khelif. This is the same reasoning used to bar her from the 2023 World Championship, despite her later participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she became an Olympic champion. In that case, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rejected the validity of the IBA’s test, allowing Khelif to compete.
A History of Controversy
Khelif’s exclusion from international events over gender eligibility concerns is not new. In 2023, she was blocked from competing in the World Championship for failing to meet IBA’s standards on testosterone levels. The organization ruled that her hormone levels were outside the acceptable range for female athletes, making her ineligible to fight.
Paris Olympics: A Different Outcome
However, her experience at the Paris 2024 Olympics played out very differently. The IOC had already stripped the IBA of its status as boxing’s governing body in 2023, citing multiple irregularities. When the IBA attempted to present the same eligibility test results to keep Khelif out of the Olympics, the IOC dismissed them as “flawed and illegitimate.”
As a result, Khelif was cleared to compete and went on to win gold, solidifying her place among the sport’s elite. One of the most talked-about moments of her Olympic run was a controversial Round of 16 match against Italian fighter Angela Carini, who abandoned the ring just 46 seconds into the fight.
IBA vs. IOC: A Power Struggle in Women’s Boxing
Khelif’s exclusion from the Serbia World Championship is the latest flashpoint in the ongoing battle between the IBA and the IOC over gender eligibility standards in women’s boxing. Critics are questioning the transparency and fairness of the IBA’s decision to use a test from two years ago as justification for keeping her out of competition.
The IOC has repeatedly criticized the IBA’s eligibility testing, arguing that it lacks scientific rigor and fails to meet international standards. This stance is what allowed Khelif to compete in the Olympics, but it hasn’t been enough to ensure her inclusion in other IBA-sanctioned events.
What’s Next for Imane Khelif?
Despite her Olympic triumph, Khelif now faces yet another roadblock in her professional career. While she has not yet made a public statement about her exclusion from the Serbia World Championship, the IBA’s decision could have serious implications for both her future in the sport and the larger debate about gender eligibility in women’s athletics.
