Imane Khelif Is Fighting World Boxing's New Rule

Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif is taking on World Boxing's new gender testing rule, which requires male and female boxers to undergo mandatory exams to compete. Khelif, who made headlines after clinching gold for Algeria at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was told in May she'd be barred from upcoming World Boxing events unless she complied with the testing. The policy was introduced following controversy over her eligibility, making Khelif a focal point in the sport's ongoing debate about gender in competition.

On Monday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport announced that Khelif filed an appeal on August 5 challenging the testing order, CBS News reports. She also asked CAS to declare her eligible for the 2025 World Boxing Championships, set for September, without undergoing the test. However, CAS declined to put the testing on hold until her case is heard, meaning the rule stands for now.

Khelif isn't the only boxer in the spotlight—Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, another Olympic gold winner, has also faced questions about eligibility and is slated to compete at the world championships. Khelif has repeatedly said she was born a woman, France24 reports. She had a long history of international boxing in the years before the Paris Olympics. Earlier this year, she said she plans to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.