Gender controversy

From athletics to swimming to boxing, the question of gender identity in women's sports is once again at the centre of international debate.

Not only about science , recent cases show the conflict between individual rights, fair competition and the authority of governing organizations.

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Khelif was congratulated by his female opponents at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Photo: EFE

The most controversial case of 2025 belongs to Imane Khelif, the Algerian Olympic light-middleweight champion.

After winning the gold medal at Paris 2024 under the protection of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Khelif was again required by World Boxing (WB) - the newly recognized federation of the IOC - to conduct mandatory gender testing using PCR method to find the SRY gene (the gene that determines human masculinity).

This rule applies to all athletes over the age of 18, with the aim of determining biological sex before competing in the female or male category.

More than two months ago, Khelif was denied entry to the Eindhoven Box Cup for failing to pass a test. Public pressure forced WB to apologise for naming her in the statement, but the new rules remain in place.

Boxing is not the only sport tightening its requirements. World Athletics (WA) – the governing body of athletics – has banned transgender women who have undergone male puberty from 2023 and tightened the requirements for athletes with DSD (Disorders of Sex Development), requiring testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for six months.

In July 2025, WA continued to pass regulations on “once in a career” SRY gene testing for all athletes wishing to compete in the women's category, applicable from September.

This directly affects names like Caster Semenya, who is pursuing a case at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to challenge the legality of hormone restrictions.

In swimming, the case of Lia Thomas – an American transgender athlete – ended in legal defeat.

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Angela Carini, an Italian boxer, gave up after 46 seconds, crying in the ring but then she defended Khelif. Photo: EFE

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected her appeal in June 2024, upholding World Aquatics’ (the governing body for aquatics) policy that transgender women who have gone through male puberty cannot compete in women’s international competitions. This is one of the rulings that set a precedent for other sports.

Beyond sports

Women’s football has also seen controversy. Zambian striker Barbra Banda was disqualified from the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations for failing to meet CAF’s testosterone criteria, before returning for the 2023 World Cup.

The African Football Confederation has yet to clearly announce its inspection process, raising doubts about its consistency and transparency.

These cases raise questions about justice and human rights. In Europe, Semenya won a ruling from the ECHR that her case should be reviewed, showing that sports regulations can be challenged on the basis of individual rights.

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Lia Thomas's case involves legal issues. Photo: SI

Meanwhile, in the US, some states have enacted laws banning or restricting transgender women from competing in school competitions, opening up another legal front parallel to elite sports.

The line between protecting fairness and respecting privacy is becoming thinner.

International federations have consistently cited safety and competition integrity, especially in combat sports, to justify sex testing or hormone restrictions.

On the contrary, many athletes and human rights organizations consider this a physical assault and discrimination.

The debate, with no end in sight, will likely continue to be shaped by both union boardrooms and courtrooms.

As biomedical science advances, the big question remains: how will women's sports define gender in a way that is both fair and humane?

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tranh-cai-gioi-tinh-the-thao-nu-tu-dang-thi-hong-den-the-gioi-2431729.html