World Boxing International Boxing Federation president Boris van der Vorst officially apologized to Algerian Olympic champion Iman Khelif, as reported by uz.kursiv.media.
The reason for this situation was the mention of Iman Khelif's name in the organization's statement regarding gender verification tests for athletes. This led to public outcry over a breach of confidentiality.
Iman Khelif was the only athlete directly mentioned in the statement and is a gold medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Following this, on Monday, Van der Vorst sent an official letter to the Algerian boxing federation, stating:
“I personally address you to formally and sincerely apologize for the situation that has arisen. Iman Khelif's personal privacy should have been protected,” the letter states.
Van der Vorst emphasized that respect must be shown to all athletes and federations through this statement.
It is worth noting that Iman Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Tin were disqualified from the world championship by the IBA in 2023, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed them to participate.
World Boxing is a new international boxing federation established in 2023 as an alternative to the discredited IBA. It aims to restore transparency and trust in Olympic boxing. The organization's headquarters is located in Switzerland.
