In a bold move that has captivated the sports world, Olympic champion Imane Khelif has officially challenged a ruling by World Boxing that requires her to undergo genetic sex testing to compete in upcoming events. This decision has thrown her plans into turmoil as she aims to defend her title.

Khelif, who clinched a gold medal at last year’s Paris Olympics amidst a global spotlight, filed her appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport last month. The court, however, declined her request to pause the World Boxing ruling, which could impact her participation in the world boxing championships starting this Thursday.

Last year's Olympics featured Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, both gold medalists who faced intense scrutiny over their eligibility. In a shocking twist, the controversial International Boxing Association (IBA), previously dominated by Russia, disqualified both athletes from its 2023 championships, citing undisclosed eligibility test failures.

This comes after years of turmoil for the IBA, which faced severe backlash for numerous infractions and was subsequently replaced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the management of the previous Olympic boxing events. Under the IOC, Khelif and Lin had been deemed eligible based on established criteria.

As World Boxing gears up for its role in the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Games, the governing body is under pressure to clarify gender eligibility rules. In a controversial move earlier this year, World Boxing announced mandatory genetic testing for athletes, specifically naming Khelif in the policy rollout, only to later retract their comments.

Khelif remains determined to honorably defend her welterweight gold medal at the LA Games, advocating for fairness in sports. Meanwhile, newly appointed IOC president Kirsty Coventry is already taking steps to address gender eligibility concerns, forming a task force aimed at resolving these contentious issues, signaling that the conversation around gender in sports is far from over.