Shocking: "Are you really a man? Or are you a woman?" Boxing prodigy's Olympic dream shattered by absurd 'gender test' omission; "The association ruined my life"

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An absurd incident occurred in which a teenage boxing prospect was prevented from competing in the World Championships due to a baffling administrative mistake by the association.

The UK's "The Sun" reported on the 14th (Korean time) that "George Francis, 18, was unable to compete in the Under-19 World Championships held in Budva, Montenegro, due to the England Boxing Association's failure to conduct a mandatory gender test."

Francis had spent several months preparing for the tournament with the goal of winning the gold medal in the 60kg weight class. However, he received notice of his disqualification just hours before the draw. Although the prospect has won multiple national championships at the school and junior levels, this incident has led him to consider retiring from the amateur circuit.

In an interview with BBC Sport, Francis expressed his feelings, stating, "It was the worst news of my life. My heart broke." He explained that while all his other teammates had completed the mandatory blood tests, only his test had been omitted.

Francis, who turned 18 four days before departing for the tournament, was included in the group of athletes subject to testing applied by the World Boxing Association to adult participants.

The World Boxing Association mandated genetic gender testing for female boxers aged 18 and older last year and expanded its application to male athletes this January. This measure followed controversies arising from Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, who were disqualified at the 2023 World Championships over eligibility verification issues, going on to win gold medals in the women's division at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Francis blamed himself for losing even his dream of competing in the Olympics due to this testing omission. Feeling deep disillusionment, he is planning to turn professional. In particular, he vented his frustration, saying, "The association only contacted my father and did not apologize to me directly. I became a forgotten existence."

The England Boxing Association immediately acknowledged the administrative error. The association explained, "We tried to resolve the situation with the tournament organizers, but we could not confirm Francis's participation due to regulations."

It added, "We have continued to communicate with the athlete and his family. He remains a valuable member of the England team and has also served as a mentor," promising procedural improvements to prevent recurrence.

Meanwhile, at last year's World Championships held in Liverpool, 12 female athletes from five countries failed to complete gender testing within the deadline, resulting in their inability to compete.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original