Imane Khelif will not be eligible to compete in the 2025 Women's World Boxing Championships. She did not meet the eligibility criteria, which was confirmed by the Secretary General of the International Boxing Association (IBA) Chris Roberts.

The upcoming championship is organized by the IBA and will be held in Niš, Serbia, from March 8 to 16.

"Imane Khelif cannot compete in the World Championships because she does not meet the required criteria. Our technical regulations are clear regarding the necessary conditions that must be met", Roberts said.

This situation has once again raised doubts about the Algerian boxer's gender, with speculation that she may have a condition known as DSD (differential sex development), which occurs in about 1.7% of the population and can result in the presence of male chromosomes or anatomical features in a person who appears to be female.

The International Boxing Association has excluded the 25-year-old boxer from the 2023 World Championships after she failed a gender determination test conducted by the organization.

Despite this disqualification, Khelif was allowed to compete in the Paris Olympics, as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) did not recognize the IBA tests, calling them "erroneous and illegitimate". In the French capital, the Algerian won the title in the 66 kg category. | BGNES