England's George Francis barred from Under-19 Worlds after sex-test mix-up in Budva

George Francis, 18, was prevented from competing at the Under-19 World Championships in Budva, Montenegro last month after England Boxing failed to arrange a required sex verification blood test, leaving him unable to box in the 60kg category.

Francis, a multiple schoolboy and junior national champion, said he had been training "non-stop" for his first World Championships and was told he was ineligible only hours before the draw because of an "administrative oversight" by governing body England Boxing. He turned 18 four days before flying and said he had been due to represent England at the tournament.

Describing the moment he was informed, Francis said: "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." He added: "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."

Francis also recounted further details of the logistics failure: "Somehow I wasn't on the system. Apparently, there were no qualified doctors in Budva to do it. It's crazy." He said the notification came so late it prevented any resolution before the competition draw.

On the personal impact, Francis said: "It was the worst news I've ever had in my life," and: "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." His father has been contacted by Boxing England, but Francis said: "I haven't had one phone call or message from them. I've just been forgotten about. I don't know how that's been allowed."

World Boxing introduced mandatory genetic sex testing for female competitors aged 18 and above last year to ensure "the safety of all participants and provide a level playing field", with national federations responsible for ensuring samples were processed, and extended the rules to include male boxers in January. The change followed controversy at the 2024 Olympics, "where fighters Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting both won golds, despite being disqualified from the previous year's World Championships for allegedly failing sex eligibility tests conducted by the then governing body, the International Boxing Association."

In a statement England Boxing said it "acknowledges that an administrative oversight occurred, once the issue became apparent, we worked closely with the competition organisers to explore all appropriate options in accordance with World Boxing's rules and regulations. "We maintained open communication with George and his family throughout, despite this, a resolution was not possible. "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 has been approached for comment.

The incident follows a 2025 episode in which a dozen female fighters across five nations were barred from the World Championships in Liverpool because deadlines for their sex tests were missed.

Francis said he has now missed out on the chance of trying to qualify for the Olympics and is planning to turn professional.