An 18-year-old English boxer has been excluded from the Under-19 World Championships due to an administrative error regarding mandatory sex verification testing.
George Francis, a multiple schoolboy and junior national champion, was scheduled to compete in the 60kg category in Budva, Montenegro.
However, the athlete was informed of his ineligibility shortly before the event draw because his team failed to organize the required blood sample test, “according to Yahoo Sports.”
World Boxing expanded its genetic testing requirements to include male competitors in January, shifting the responsibility for processing samples to national federations.
Francis expressed his frustration regarding the oversight, noting that while other participants were tested, he was omitted from the system.
He described his emotional reaction to the news, stating, “It was the worst news I’ve ever had in my life,” as reported by Yahoo Sports.
The boxer further claimed he was left without direct communication from England Boxing following the incident, despite his father being contacted by the organization.
In an official statement, England Boxing acknowledged the administrative failure and stated they attempted to resolve the issue with event organizers once it became apparent.
The governing body emphasized that it remains committed to learning from the experience to prevent future recurrences, “as noted by BBC Sport.”
This incident follows broader challenges regarding testing protocols, as evidenced by a 2025 event where a dozen female fighters were barred from the World Championships in Liverpool due to missed deadlines, “according to BBC Sport.”
Francis, who has now missed the opportunity to qualify for the Olympics, is currently planning to transition into a professional boxing career.
He stated that he hopes his experience will lead to better oversight, saying, “There should be someone there making sure it doesn’t happen because I don’t want any of these mistakes happening to anybody else.”