World championships see withdrawal of Olympic medalist Lin

The national boxing association in Taiwan has been engaging in discussions with experts and global authorities regarding sex testing for athletes, following the disqualification of boxer Lin from the 2023 Women's World Boxing Championships due to a failed sex verification test.

Last month, the association reached out to World Boxing for clear participation regulations, as the global boxing federation announced a mandate for athletes over 18 to submit polymerase chain reaction genetic tests. World Boxing plans to issue a decision after holding four to six weeks of discussions on its policies.

The controversy surrounding Lin's gender began when she was disqualified from the championships. Since then, she has challenged the global boxing federation's decision that disallows participation in World Boxing events without a preliminary genetic test. Lin dropped out of the Thailand Open in May due to disagreements over sex testing methods.

In June, Lin opted out of the World Boxing Cup due to a lack of transparency about "complementary measures" regarding the sex test. The national boxing association of Taiwan did not publicly disclose which experts they consulted for sex tests on their athletes; the available information only states that ambiguous cases are referred to a medical expert panel within the World Boxing federation, but no specific external experts or advisors from Taiwan have been named.

Khelif is challenging the global boxing federation's decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. World Boxing released a confirmation of its sex testing standards in August, stating that testing results would determine an athlete's sex. The association has been seeking clarity and fairness in the testing process, aiming to ensure the rights and dignity of all athletes are protected.

The discussions and challenges continue as the boxing community strives for a transparent and fair approach to sex testing for all athletes participating in World Boxing events.