One of world sport’s most controversial athlete’s, Imane Khelif, has been dealt a body blow after the World Boxing organisation mandated that she must undergo sex testing before she will be able to compete in all-female matches again.

The Paris Olympics boxing tournament was thrown under the world spotlight when Khelif competed in the women’s 66kg category and one of her competitors was reduced to tears before throwing in the towel after 46 seconds of their bout, stating she should not have to fight a man.

Despite being disqualified from the 2023 World Championships organised by the International Boxing Association for allegedly failing to meet gender eligibility criteria, Khelif was given the green light to compete in Paris and duly took the gold medal for her native Algeria.

World Boxing announced on Friday that they are introducing mandatory sex testing to determine the eligibility of male and female athletes wishing to take part in their competitions.

The body - who will oversee boxing at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 - said they had written to the Algerian boxing federation to say that until Khelif had undergone the test, she would not be able to compete in next month’s Eindhoven Box Cup or any other women’s event under their authority.

World Boxing said they were introducing the rules as part of a new policy on sex, age and weight “to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women”.

The letter stated that in the event of a challenge by the federation or by World Boxing to Khelif’s sex certification, Khelif would remain ineligible to compete until the dispute was resolved.

In a television interview in March about the row over her involvement at the Olympics,Khelif said: “I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl.

“I was born a girl, raised as a girl and have lived my entire life as one.

“I have competed in many tournaments, including the Tokyo Olympics and other major competitions, as well as four World Championships.

“All of these took place before I started winning and earning titles. But once I began achieving success, the campaigns against me started.”

All athletes over 18 wishing to compete in a World Boxing owned or sanctioned event will need to undergo a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic test to determine their sex at birth and their eligibility to compete.

Athletes deemed to be male at birth, as evidenced by the presence of Y chromosome genetic material (the SRY gene) or with a difference of sexual development (DSD) where male androgenisation occurs, will be eligible to compete in the male category, World Boxing said.

Angela Carini representing Italy said she withdrew from the Olympic bout against to Khelif “safeguard her life”.

Carini’s headgear became dislodged twice after punches before she quit and refused to shake Khelif’s hand after the decision was announced.

“She felt pain in the nose and said to me, ‘I don’t want to fight more’,” her Italian coach Emanuele Renzini said.

“People say, ‘Don’t go, it’s dangerous, she’s a man’. Maybe it’s this (why she quit).

“It’s not my decision, It’s a difficult decision.’’

With AAP.