English boxer, 18, banned from World Championships after extraordinary sex test mix-up: 'Broken' teenager reveals how his dream was shattered after team forgot to prove he was a man

A teenage English boxer has said they have been left 'broken' after being denied the chance to compete at the World Championships due to officials failing to organise a sex verification test to prove he is male.George Francis, 18, had been due to represent England at the Under-19 World Championships in Budva, Montenegro last month.Francis was withdrawn from competition on the eve of the event after an administration error by England Boxing, with the governing body having failed to arrange the necessary sex verification test.'They got me in a room and told me that I couldn't box because they didn't know if I was a boy or a girl, basically,' Francis told the BBC.'The explanation was that they couldn't provide a blood sample for me in time. Everyone else was able to provide a blood sample, but they just forgot me.'Somehow I wasn't on the system. George Francis, 18, missed out on competing at the Under-19 World Championships after England Boxing failed to arrange a necessary sex verification test. Source: Instagram/georgefrancis_07'It was the worst news I've ever had in my life.'I wouldn't wish it on anyone, to be honest. I was just broken. They were speaking to me and I couldn't even really hear. I was devastated. 'I couldn't really talk. I literally couldn't feel anything. There was a hole left there.'Francis's situation, first reported by The Times, followed the mandatory introduction of sex verification tests by the sport's governing body World Boxing.World Boxing announced the move last year, with genetic sex testing initially introduced for female competitors aged 18 and above. The governing body stated the move was due to a 'duty of care to deliver safety and competitiveness fairness'.It followed controversy at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting won gold.Khelif and Lin had been disqualified from the previous year's World Championships, with boxing's former governing body – the International Boxing Association – claiming the pair had failed sex eligibility tests. Earlier this year, Lin was cleared to compete in women's events following a review of her sex eligibility. World Boxing's mandatory tests were extended to include male boxers earlier this year. Francis had been required to undergo a test due to turning 18 four days before travelling to the World Championships.Francis, a multiple national champion, had been required to undergo a mandatory test after turning 18 days before the World Championships. Source: Instagram/georgefrancis_07 World Boxing introduced sex testing last year amid the controversy surrounding Algerian boxer Imane Khelif's participation at the Paris 2024 Olympic GamesThe multiple national and GB champion has claimed he is considering turning professional following the mix-up.England Boxing reportedly contacted Francis's father to apologise for the 'administrative oversight', with the governing body stressing it will 'strengthen processes' to avoid a repeat incident.'We maintained open communication with George and his family throughout, despite this, a resolution was not possible,' an England Boxing statement read.'George remained a valued member of the England team, including representing the squad as flag bearer.'England Boxing has no greater priority than the health and wellbeing of athletes on its performance pathway and are committed to learning from this experience and strengthening our processes to prevent a recurrence.'World Boxing's policy requires boxers to undergo a once-in-a-lifetime PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test to determine their sex and their eligibility to compete in either the male or female category. The PCR test is a laboratory technique used to detect specific genetic material, in this case the SRY gene, which reveals the presence of the Y chromosome that is an indicator of male biological sex.A dozen boxers, representing five nations, were last year blocked from competing at the World Championships in Liverpool because deadlines for their sex tests were missed.Under World Boxing rules, national federations are responsible for testing and will be required to confirm the sex of their athletes when entering them into World Boxing competitions