World Boxing has been plunged into fresh controversy after Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting withdrew from the upcoming World Championships in Liverpool.
The 29-year-old, who won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and gold in Paris last summer, will now sit alongside Algeria’s Imane Khelif on the sidelines following a dispute over gender eligibility.
According to Taiwan’s boxing association, Lin had already completed the required gender test and submitted the results to World Boxing. However, the governing body allegedly failed to respond, forcing officials to withdraw her from the tournament at the last minute.
Taiwan Boxing Association statement
“We cannot allow the athlete to travel to the UK without any guarantee,” the association stated.
Coach Tseng Tzu-Chiang had previously pledged that Lin would compete in Liverpool and confirmed the paperwork had been sent in good faith.
But without written confirmation from World Boxing, Lin has been barred from participating.
The situation mirrors the ongoing saga involving Khelif, who was also unable to compete amid questions surrounding gender eligibility in the sport. Both cases have added fuel to a debate that continues to dominate amateur boxing at the highest level.
Khelif has since challenged the inception of the testing procedures in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
World Boxing, formed after the IOC froze out the International Boxing Association (IBA), has faced repeated challenges in regulating competition standards.
The Lin case further intensifies scrutiny over how quickly and transparently it handles sensitive issues.
For now, one of Asia’s top female fighters remains in limbo, and the World Championships in Liverpool lose another big name.
About the Author
Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights. [View all articles by Phil Jay] and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism.