The French women’s boxing team has been barred from competing at the World Championships in Liverpool after missing the deadline to submit gender test results. World Boxing, the new international governing body for amateur boxing, introduced mandatory genetic sex testing this year. Under its rules, all female athletes must complete testing before competing.
The French federation, FFBoxe, could not carry out tests in France where such procedures are banned. Instead, it sent its five athletes to a lab in Leeds earlier this week. However, the lab confirmed it could not deliver results in time for the championships, which run from 4 to 14 September in north west England.
The federation expressed outrage, calling the situation unfair. “Despite guarantees given to us by World Boxing, the laboratory which they recommended was not able to deliver the results on time. Our athletes, and those from other nations, have been caught in this trap and excluded,” it said in a statement.
BBC Sport understands that France is not the only country affected. World Boxing, however, insists the responsibility lies with national federations. The organisation said federations must manage the testing process since they oversee athlete registration. “It is very disappointing that some federations could not complete the process in time. This means certain athletes did not make it through the entry process,” World Boxing stated.
The controversy highlights the sharp divide over mandatory genetic testing in sport. While World Boxing argues it ensures fairness in competition, critics say the policy risks excluding athletes and conflicts with national laws. The France Boxing World Championships ban is the latest flashpoint in an ongoing debate about eligibility rules in women’s sport.
