World Boxing Championships: Amid gender row, Olympic gold medallist boxer Lin Yu-ting pulls out

Taiwanese Olympic boxing gold medallist Lin Yu-ting will not participate in the upcoming world championships in Liverpool, despite reportedly submitting required sex test results, Taiwan's boxing association confirmed to AFP on Tuesday. The decision comes amid World Boxing's new mandatory sex testing policy for women competitors at the September 4-14 championships.Lin and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif were involved in a significant gender controversy during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where both athletes won titles in different weight categories.World Boxing announced last month that female participants must undergo mandatory sex testing to compete in the Liverpool championships. Lin, 29, had agreed to take the test, according to her coach Tseng Tzu-chiang.Taiwan's boxing association reported submitting Lin's test results to World Boxing but received no response, according to the Central News Agency."We cannot allow the athlete to travel to the UK without any guarantee," the association stated.The association confirmed to AFP that Lin would not attend the championships but provided no explanation for the decision.Under World Boxing's policy, fighters over 18 must take a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic test to determine their sex at birth for participation in sanctioned competitions.Both Lin and Khelif were previously excluded from the International Boxing Association's (IBA) 2023 world championships after allegedly failing sex eligibility tests.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) later permitted both athletes to compete in Paris, stating they had been victims of "a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA." Both went on to win their respective events.During the Paris Olympics, both athletes faced social media attacks, rumors about their biological sex, and disinformation campaigns.Lin's coach Tseng has not responded to phone calls or messages, and AFP has reached out to World Boxing for comment.