Lin Yu-ting withdraws from World Boxing Championships amid gender row

Taiwanese Olympic boxing gold medallist Lin Yu-ting will not compete at the upcoming World Championships, Taiwan’s boxing association said on Tuesday, despite reports that she had submitted mandatory sex test results.

Lin, 29, and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif were at the centre of a major gender controversy during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where both won gold in separate weight classes.

World Boxing announced last month that all female boxers over 18 must undergo genetic PCR tests to confirm sex at birth in order to compete at its sanctioned events, including the September 4-14 Championships in Liverpool.

Lin’s coach Tseng Tzu-chiang previously confirmed she had agreed to the testing. Taiwan’s boxing association said the results were submitted but that World Boxing had not responded.

“We cannot allow the athlete to travel to the UK without any guarantee,” the association was quoted as saying by Taiwan’s Central News Agency.

In a message to AFP on Tuesday, the association confirmed Lin “will not attend the World Championships in Liverpool” but declined to provide further details. Lin’s coach also did not respond to calls or messages, while World Boxing has yet to comment.

Lin and Khelif were excluded from the International Boxing Association’s (IBA) 2023 World Championships after the body claimed they had failed sex eligibility tests. However, the International Olympic Committee allowed them to compete in Paris, calling the IBA’s ruling “sudden and arbitrary.” Both boxers went on to win gold but were subjected to online abuse, speculation over their gender, and misinformation campaigns.

Published on Sep 02, 2025