Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting Withdraws from World Championships
Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who clinched a gold medal in boxing at the Paris Olympics, will not participate in the upcoming world championships in Liverpool, scheduled from September 4 to 14. This announcement was confirmed by Taiwan’s boxing association on Tuesday, following the submission of her sex test results, a requirement under a new World Boxing policy.
Controversy Surrounding Gender Eligibility
The 29-year-old athlete has been at the center of a heated debate regarding gender eligibility in sports, particularly following her controversial participation in the Olympics alongside Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, where both won titles in different weight classes. Just last month, World Boxing established a protocol that mandates women aged 18 and above seeking to compete in sanctioned events to undergo genetic testing via PCR to ascertain their sex at birth.
Coach’s Statement and Association’s Reluctance
Lin’s coach, Tseng Tzu-chiang, had indicated earlier that she consented to the testing, and the association claimed they submitted the results but had yet to receive any confirmation from World Boxing. They expressed reluctance to permit Lin’s travel to the UK without secure validation, as reported by Taiwan’s Central News Agency.
Official Statement and Background
In addition, Taiwan’s boxing association officially stated that Lin would not be attending the championships, though they did not elaborate on the reasoning or address further inquiries from the press. Attempts to reach Lin’s coach for more information went unanswered.
There’s a complicated backdrop to Lin and Khelif’s cases; both were previously disqualified from the International Boxing Association (IBA) world championships in 2023 after failing sex eligibility assessments. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) intervened, allowing them to compete in Paris, highlighting that their exclusion was based on what the IOC deemed a “sudden and arbitrary” ruling.
Impact of Online Backlash
During the Olympics, both athletes faced significant backlash, enduring online abuse and unfounded speculations regarding their biological identities, further intensifying the ongoing discourse surrounding gender and athletics.
