World Boxing will introduce mandatory sex testing for all boxers in its competitions, the governing body announced on Friday.
Paris Olympics women's welterweight champion Imane Khelif has been barred from competing until she undergoes the required testing.
The Algerian boxer, who won gold at Paris 2024, was due to compete at the Eindhoven Box Cup next week but will now be unable to participate.
World Boxing stated that Khelif "may not participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup, 5-10 June 2025 and any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing's rules and testing procedures."
Imane Khelif
World Boxing has written to the Algerian Boxing Federation informing them of the decision to exclude Khelif from the upcoming tournament.
The governing body, which will run boxing competitions at the 2028 Olympics after receiving provisional recognition from the IOC, did not oversee amateur boxing at the Paris Olympics.
Khelif had been cleared to compete at the 2024 Olympics despite being disqualified from the 2023 World Championships by the International Boxing Association for allegedly failing to meet gender eligibility criteria.
The boxer was at the centre of a gender row before claiming Olympic gold last summer.
The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test that World Boxing will use determines sex at birth, with all athletes over the age of 18 wishing to compete required to take one.
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In this test, the genetic material looked for is the SRY gene, which is almost always on the Y chromosome and plays a crucial role in determining male sex characteristics.
The test can be conducted by a nasal or mouth swab, saliva or blood.
Athletes deemed to be male at birth will be eligible to compete in the male category, World Boxing said.
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Imane Khelif won a gold medal at Paris 2024ReutersSpeaking in March, Khelif said: "I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl.
"I was born a girl, raised as a girl and have lived my entire life as one."
World Boxing said the introduction of mandatory testing will be part of a new policy on "sex, age and weight to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women."
The policy is in the final stages of development and has been crafted by a specially convened Working Group of the World Boxing Medical and Anti-Doping Committee.
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Imane Khelif was permitted to take part in the Paris Olympics despite controversy surrounding her involvement
GETTYThe governing body stated: "World Boxing respects the dignity of all individuals and its overriding priority is to ensure safety and competitive fairness to all athletes.
"To do this, it is essential that strict categories determined by sex are maintained and enforced."
The policy also includes an appeals process.
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