George Francis, 18, says England Boxing error cost him U19 World Championships place

George Francis, an 18-year-old English boxer, says he was barred from the Under-19 World Championships because his team did not arrange a sex verification test, leaving him feeling "broken". Francis was due to fight at 60kg at the event in Budva, Montenegro, last month.

What happened in Budva

Francis, from Loughton, Essex, says he was told he was ineligible only hours before the draw. England Boxing, which selected him, attributes the failure to an "administrative oversight".

Francis told BBC Sport he was told a blood sample could not be provided in time. He said everyone else had been able to give one, that he was not on the system, and that he was told there were no qualified doctors in Budva to carry out the test. "It's crazy," he said.

He turned 18 four days before flying to Montenegro and suggested that may explain why the requirement was not flagged. A multiple schoolboy and junior national champion, he said he had been training "non-stop" for the chance to represent England at his first World Championships.

Sex testing rules under scrutiny

World Boxing introduced mandatory genetic sex testing for female competitors aged 18 and over last year, with national federations responsible for ensuring samples were processed. The rules were extended to male boxers in January.

The move followed controversy at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Imane Khelif of Algeria and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting both won gold. Both had been disqualified from the 2023 World Championships, then run by the International Boxing Association, for allegedly failing sex eligibility tests.

Reaction and next steps

In a statement to The Athletic, England Boxing said it "acknowledges that an administrative oversight occurred". It said it worked closely with the competition organisers to explore all appropriate options under World Boxing's rules, and that it "maintained open communication" with Francis and his family.

Francis disputes that. He said he has not been in contact with England Boxing since the decision and feels "forgotten about".

"I feel like there's nothing really left for me as an amateur."

Francis said he has lost the chance to try to qualify for the Olympics and plans to turn professional. His case was first reported by The Times.