The World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, India, featured a notable turn of events for Algerian athlete Iman Khelif, who was not permitted to participate in the final match after officials ruled that admission rules had been violated. Reports from Inside the Games confirm that Khelif faced disqualification following the hormone test results, which indicated very high testosterone levels. As a consequence, the 23-year-old athlete missed the final bout and was replaced by Janjay Suvannafeng of Thailand for the championship decider.
Khelif publicly addressed the situation, suggesting that he had become a target of a conspiracy on social networks. He stated that he had endured bullying over his appearance and that he had resisted intimidation, continuing to compete with determination. He described the moment as shocking, noting that his competitive trajectory had been steady across numerous tournaments without prior issues. He claimed that his opportunity to win a gold medal had been leveraged by others who intervened and claimed that his qualifications surpassed those of other competitors in the same category.
The Women’s World Championship schedule placed the event in New Delhi from March 15 to 31, while the men’s tournament was slated to take place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from May 1 to 14. The championship carried a broad program, drawing athletes from multiple nations to compete across diverse weight classes and gender divisions.
On March 25, the Russian women’s team garnered three podium finishes. Specifically, Diana Pyatak earned bronze in the weight class up to 81 kilograms, while Natalia Sychugova rose to silver in the up to 63 kilograms final, and 18-year-old Anastasia Demurchyan claimed the weight class up to 70 kilograms title. These results highlighted a strong performance from the Russian squad amid a highly competitive field and resonated with discussions about national strengths in boxing across weight categories.
Earlier, organizers of the World Boxing Championships addressed questions about the inclusion of the Russian anthem, explaining the challenges and decisions that accompanied the event’s musical selections and national representations. The discussions reflected the broader tensions and protocols that accompany international competitions, where symbolic elements such as anthems intersect with sporting fairness, regulatory compliance, and the expectations of global audiences. The events underscored the complexities that can arise when a championship draws athletes and teams from a diverse set of jurisdictions, each with its own regulatory framework and testing standards, and when procedural interpretations impact who competes on the field of play.