After anger and controversy, the Boxing Federation apologizes to Iman Khalif.

On Tuesday, June 3, 2025, Boris van der Vorst, President of the World Boxing Association, officially apologized to Algeria and Olympic champion Imane Khelif for explicitly mentioning her name when announcing the new gender determination testing policy. In his letter to the Algerian Federation, Vorst said, "I would like to formally and sincerely apologize for what happened, and I emphasize that Imane Khelif's privacy should have been protected," stressing his respect for the Algerian Federation and its players.

The controversy over sex tests and the direct reference to Khalifa Last Friday, the International Boxing Federation announced a new policy requiring mandatory gender testing for all boxers, starting in July 2025, to ensure equal opportunities for women and men in competition. The statement sparked widespread controversy, especially after the explicit reference to the case of Iman Khalif, the 2024 Paris Olympic gold medalist, in the announcement of the new policy, along with that of Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting.

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Background to the crisis: exclusion from previous tournaments The controversy dates back to 2023, when Khalif and Teng were disqualified from the World Championships due to doping tests that disqualified them from competing in the women's category. Despite this, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) granted the two athletes the green light to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics, in accordance with the eligibility regulations adopted for the Tokyo 2020 edition.

The future of the federation and new policies for tournaments The World Boxing Association is trying to regain the trust of the sporting community after being temporarily assigned to govern the sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. It is facing pressure from national federations and boxers to establish clear rules regarding gender eligibility. The new policy stipulates that all boxers will undergo mandatory biological testing before international competitions.

Khalifa prepares for the 2028 Olympics amid objections Despite the storm surrounding her, Iman Khalif continues her preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, aiming to defend her Olympic title. She had planned to return to the track this month by participating in the Eindhoven Cup in the Netherlands, but the ongoing controversy and the differing positions of national federations remain obstacles to her full participation on the international stage.