NaijNaira
Blessing Oraekwe has voiced her frustration after being blocked from competing at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool because of late genetic sex test results—www.naijnaira.com reports.
The Nigerian middleweight boxer was expected to fight in the 75kg division but was removed alongside teammates due to testing delays. BBC Sport, which reported her story, noted that the incident affected 12 athletes from five different countries.
According to Oraekwe, the setback crushed her dream of bringing gold back to Nigeria after months of grueling preparation. “It was heartbreaking for me because my plan was to dominate in the ring and take the gold for my country,” she said.
Nigeria’s boxing federation covered huge travel costs for the fighters, only to see them disqualified before stepping into the ring. Oraekwe called on World Boxing to pay compensation, arguing that the athletes shouldn’t suffer for errors beyond their control.
The controversy deepened when the French boxing federation also revealed its women’s team was excluded for the same reason. “Our athletes have been punished for a bureaucratic failure,” the French body declared.
World Boxing insisted its policy was clear and said national federations were responsible for completing testing on time. Acting secretary general Mike McAtee explained, “This is 100% the right policy to make sure that we have athletes compete safely and competitively.”
Still, many athletes feel robbed of a stage they worked years to reach. French fighter Maelys Richol admitted, “It’s been a year of preparation, and learning this the day before the event was not easy.”
The governing body has not disclosed whether any boxers failed the genetic tests but defended the policy as necessary for fairness and safety.
Algerian fighter Imane Khelif has already appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, challenging the mandatory testing after her suspension last year.
Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting both returned triumphantly at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the International Olympic Committee allowed them to compete and they won gold.
Boxing governance remains turbulent after the IBA was stripped of authority, with World Boxing now provisionally recognized by the IOC as the sport’s new global regulator.
