An appeal to international athletic justice against the new "femininity" tests imposed by World Boxing, Algerian champion Iman Celif, opens a race that is far more than boxing - touching track, swimming and Olympic sports overall.
On Monday, September 1, the Dietary Sports Court (CAS) announced in a brief press release that it has accepted the appeal filed on August 5 by the world champion at -66 kg, which was at the center of a strong debate over the 20th.
Kelif calls for annulment of the World Boxing decision at the end of May, which was banned from participating in the Eidhoven tournament, as it did not undergo chromosomal control, which was only recently established. At the same time, he claims the right to compete without such a test at the Liverpool World Championships, which begins on Thursday and lasts until September 14th.
However, the chances of accepting her request is minimal, as the CAS declined to give a suspensive effect on the appeal and has not yet planned a hearing.
During the Paris Olympics, Celif was targeted by an online misinformation campaign, as did Taiwanese Lynn Yu-Ting, presenting them as "men fighting with women". The 26 -year -old boxer, however, conquered gold at -66 kg.
Despite being born and brought up as a girl, Celif was accused by the former Boxing Authority (IBA) of carrying XY chromosomes and was therefore excluded from the 2023 World Championships, although until then he had fought without questioning.
Its appeal paves the way for the first legal challenge of reinstating genetic gender tests to world sport - a practice that returns not only to boxing but also to sports such as track and swimming after decades of absence. Such controls were in place at the Olympics from 1968 to 1996, but were abandoned after fierce reactions from the scientific and medical community, as well as human rights organizations.
The new test proposed - via PCR - focuses on the detection of the Sry gene (on the y chromosome), which is considered a male gender indicator. According to his supporters, this is a simple and reliable method. But in practice, it excludes both trans people with transgender people with XY chromosomes who have been brought up and recognized as women.
Some scientists are sounding the alarm. Australian geneticist Andrew Sinkler, who discovered the Sry gene in 1990, recently stressed to The Conversation that the organic gender identity is much more complicated than the simple "xy = man" equation. Gonadic characteristics, hormones and secondary sexual characteristics also play a role, as the biologist said if a tear-serling, which estimates that the intermediax reaches 1.7% of the world's population.
There are also well-known cases of XY chromosomes that are testosterone-resistant, such as Spaniard's barrier Maria Jose Martinez-Patinio, who was excluded from the Seoul Olympics in 1988 and was the first to successfully overthrow the femininity tests.
Within this climate, and under the pressure of new regulations by World Athletics and World Boxing, the new ILO President, Kirst Coventry, formed in late June to access the women's category, with the aim of issuing clear guidelines.
Since 2021, the ILO has been limited to simple recommendations to international federations, stressing that an unfair racing advantage, identity or transgender transaction.
