Overview

• Five athletes — Romane Moulai, Wassila Lkhadiri, Melissa Bounoua, Sthélyne Grosy and Maëlys Richol — were ruled out of the Liverpool event when required results were not submitted on time.
• Because French bioethics law restricts such genetic testing, the team used a World Boxing–accredited laboratory in Leeds after arriving in the UK, but the lab did not deliver results before the cutoff.
• World Boxing said it regrets that some results arrived late but emphasized that rules and deadlines were published and that national federations are responsible for testing and registration.
• Sports minister Marie Barsacq is seeking a full explanation and offered support to the athletes, while the CNOSF proposed psychological assistance, is exploring legal recourse, and is coordinating with affected counterparts from the Philippines, Fiji and Nigeria.
• The requirement for femininity/genetic screening followed Paris 2024 disputes, faces scientific and rights-based criticism, and unfolds alongside legal challenges such as Imane Khelif’s CAS appeal and differing policies in other sports, with World Athletics allowing French athletes to test in Japan for its Tokyo championships.