French female boxers barred from world championships over genetic testing issue
PARIS: French female boxers have been barred from competing at the inaugural World Boxing Championships in Liverpool after failing to meet a deadline for a genetic sex test that the French Boxing Federation (FFBoxe) said was incompatible with French law. World Boxing, which issued a list of competitors for Thursday’s opening rounds with no French entrants included, said it would not comment on individual cases but added that it had warned all federations of its policy. FFBoxe said it was informed on July 21 that all female athletes needed to provide results of a “femininity test” during registration for the competition, which started on Thursday. French law prohibits the federation from conducting the tests domestically or abroad without a medical prescription, FFBoxe said, prompting it to turn to a laboratory in Leeds upon World Boxing’s recommendation. Despite assurances that results would be delivered within 24 hours, they were delayed. “With, as a consequence, the exclusion of our athletes as well as other female boxers from foreign delegations who also found themselves trapped,” FFBoxe said in a Thursday statement. “This is a profound injustice,” it added.