Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting cleared for competition following sex eligibility review

World Boxing Clears Lin Yu-ting for Competition at Asian Championships

A review of Lin Yu-ting’s sex eligibility has cleared the Olympic gold medal-winning boxer from Taiwan to compete in the upcoming Asian Boxing Championships. The decision was announced by World Boxing, the sport’s governing body, on Friday ahead of the championships, which begin on March 29 in Mongolia.

Lin and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif were involved in a dispute over their biological sex at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Both boxers had met the eligibility rules followed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the time, but their success led to international scrutiny and misconceptions about their sex. World Boxing took over as the sport’s governing body last year and implemented a new sex eligibility policy requiring all fighters to take a one-time genetic test.

As part of this policy, Lin had been absent from several international competitions since its introduction last summer. The Chinese Taipei Boxing Association had appealed on behalf of one of its boxers following a test last year. World Boxing stated that its independent medical experts thoroughly reviewed the evidence and confirmed that Lin has been female since birth.

The decision was welcomed by Taiwan’s boxing association, which described it as “tremendous relief” for Lin. The statement also noted that Lin will make her highly anticipated return to competition at the Asian Boxing Championships. Imane Khelif had not competed in World Boxing-sanctioned events since the policy’s introduction but has expressed a desire to return to Olympic-level sport.

Khelif plans to make her professional boxing debut in April, although pro fighters are now allowed to compete in the Olympics. The International Boxing Association (IBA) had previously excluded both boxers from its 2023 world championships after they failed eligibility tests. However, the IOC allowed them to compete in Paris, citing their status as victims of an “arbitrary decision” by the IBA.

World Boxing also offers additional analysis and evaluation for athletes with Y chromosome genetic material who wish to compete in women’s categories.

Source: Al Jazeera