England boxer missed Worlds over sex-test mix-up
George Francis was left “broken” after he was banned from competing at the Under-19 World Championships because his team did not organise a sex verification test to prove he is male.
England boxer George Francis, 18, has been barred from competing at the Under-19 World Championships due to an administrative error involving the sex verification test. Francis, a multiple schoolboy and junior national champion, was scheduled to fight in the 60kg category in Budva, Montenegro last month. However, he was informed only hours before the draw that he was ineligible to compete because his team had failed to organize the necessary test to prove he was male.
Francis claims that he was left in the dark when everyone else was able to provide the required blood sample for verification. He expressed his devastation and despair, stating that the news was the worst he had ever received in his life. World Boxing, the governing body, introduced mandatory genetic sex testing for female competitors aged 18 and above last year to ensure safety and fairness.
The rule was extended to include male boxers in January, but Francis feels the system failed him. He noted that no qualified doctors were available in Budva to conduct the test, and he was left without any information or support from England Boxing. England Boxing acknowledged the oversight and is committed to strengthening their processes to prevent similar incidents.
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