World Boxing president apologizes to Iman Khelif

Boris van der Vorst, president of World Boxing, has issued an official apology to Iman Khelif, an Olympic boxing champion from Algeria, reports uz.kursiv.media.

The apology follows a public mention of Khelif’s name in a statement regarding mandatory gender testing for athletes, sparking criticism over privacy violations.

Khelif, who won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was the only athlete named in World Boxing’s press release.

On Monday, van der Vorst sent a letter to the Algerian Boxing Federation, stating:

“I am reaching out personally to offer an official and sincere apology, and to acknowledge that her privacy should have been protected.”

He added that this step is meant to demonstrate respect for all athletes and national federations.

Khelif and her Taiwanese colleague Lin Yu-Ting were suspended by IBA from the 2023 World Championships but were later approved by the IOC to compete under previous gender determination rules.

World Boxing is a new international boxing federation founded in 2023 as an alternative to the discredited IBA. It aims to restore transparency and trust in Olympic boxing. The organization is headquartered in Switzerland. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!