Imane Khelif launches legal challenge against ban from fighting against women

2 weeks ago 3

By Ben Rumsby

September 3, 2025 — 8.00am

Imane Khelif has begun a legal fight against rules banning her from boxing against women unless she can prove she is biologically female.

The Olympic welterweight champion has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against World Boxing’s introduction of mandatory sex testing at its events.

That includes at the governing body’s inaugural world championships in Liverpool, due to begin on Thursday.

CAS confirmed Khelif lodged her appeal on August 5, including a request for her to be declared eligible for the worlds pending a full hearing into World Boxing’s decision.

Her request was dismissed on Monday, while proceedings in the wider case at sport’s highest court have yet to be scheduled.

CAS’s announcement came a week-and-a-half after Khelif denied claims made by her former manager that she had retired, saying she was still training regularly.

In an interview with French newspaper Nice-Matin, Khelif’s former manager Nasser Yefsah said she had “left the world of boxing”.

In a follow-up interview with the same newspaper hours later, Yefsah clarified he was only referring to Khelif’s boxing commitments in the city of Nice, where she was previously part of the Nice Azur club.

Welterweight gold medal winner Imane Khelif.

Khelif criticised Yefsah’s comments in a post on Facebook.

“It is based solely on statements made by a person who no longer represents me in any way, and whom I consider to have betrayed my trust and my country with his false and malicious statements,” Khelif wrote.

“I have never announced my retirement from boxing. I remain committed to my sporting career, training regularly and maintaining my physical fitness between Algeria and Qatar in preparation for upcoming events.

“The publication of such rumours is intended solely to disrupt and damage my sporting and professional career.”

Imane Khelif celebrates winning the gold medal in Paris.

Khelif had been due to compete in a World Boxing tournament in the Netherlands in June until the governing body introduced sex testing “to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women”.

It added: “In light of plans to introduce this policy and the particular circumstances surrounding some boxers that competed at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, World Boxing has written to the Algerian Boxing Federation to inform it that Imane Khelif will not be allowed to participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup or any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes sex testing.

“This decision reflects concerns over the safety and well-being of all boxers, including Imane Khelif, and aims to protect the mental and physical health of all participants in light of some of the reactions that have been expressed in relation to the boxer’s potential participation at the Eindhoven Box Cup.”

Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting won gold in Paris despite having been, like Khelif, disqualified from the IBA’s 2023 World Championship sfor failing to meet gender-eligibility criteria.

Boris van der Vorst, World Boxing president, later apologised for the naming of Khelif in its announcement, saying her privacy should have been protected.

The apology was made after the leaking of a medical report that appeared to indicate Khelif was biologically male.

That report was produced from a test that led to the Algerian being thrown out of the 2023 World Championships, organised by rival governing body the International Boxing Association.

Khelif had initially lodged an appeal against her disqualification with CAS, only to withdraw it.

Taiwanese fighter Lin Yu-ting was also thrown out but, like Khelif, was allowed to compete at Paris 2024 by the International Olympic Committee – and win gold – sparking a huge row.

Khelif, 26, has repeatedly said she was born a woman and has a long history in female boxing competitions.

In March, she said she would defend her Olympic title at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The Telegraph London