Two Ugandan female boxers have been ruled out of the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh after failing to present the required sex-eligibility certificates, officials confirmed on Monday.
Featherweight Fatuma Nabikolo and flyweight Angel Katushabe were withdrawn from the competition on the eve of the boxing events when World Boxing (WB) officials found they lacked the mandatory documents confirming biological sex at birth.
Their exclusion leaves Uganda represented only by male fighters Alfred Ojok and Jimmy Adriko in the boxing category.
According to WB regulations, all female competitors must submit either a certified genetic sex test or a PCR-based medical equivalent before being cleared to fight. The rule has been strictly enforced across tournaments this year, with several international athletes previously barred under the same policy.
In Uganda’s case, confusion over communication appears to have played a role. Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) officials said the federation was not fully briefed on the new verification demands, while the Uganda Olympic Committee maintains that all competition guidelines were issued early and that UBF failed to follow through.
The incident is a setback for Uganda’s medal hopes, particularly with Nabikolo sidelined. She had been one of the team’s most in-form athletes, having won gold at the Zone 3 Africa Boxing Championship and bronze at the 2023 Mandela Cup.
