French women boxers barred from World Championships over delayed gender test results

French female boxers have been banned from taking part in the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool due to delay in securing prerequisite genetic sex tests for the competition.

According to the French boxing federation (FFBoxe), the mandatory gender test is incompatible with French law as such types of tests have been banned in France since 1994 with the passage of law.

Therefore, the French federation had to perform mandatory testing in England. Despite the assurances, the test results were delayed, giving a major setback to female boxers.

FFBoxe issued a statement, “With, as a consequence, the exclusion of our athletes as well as other female boxers from foreign delegations who also found themselves trapped.”

“This is a profound injustice. Our athletes are being punished for a bureaucratic failure and a policy that was communicated far too late,” statement reads.

FFBoxe said they were informed on July 21 that all women athletes must provide femininity test results during competition registration.

According to World Boxing, all the federations had been warned on August 21.

“Receiving results for sex-testing can take 48 hours. Any tests completed later than 1 September would jeopardise your athlete’s entry into the official draw and competition,” the governing body said in a statement.

World Boxing will regulate boxing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Recently in May , its policy has witnessed a paradigm shift in genetic testing, making it mandatory for female players above 19 as an eligibility for competition.