Taiwanese Olympic champion Lin Yu-ting has confirmed she will undergo a mandatory gender test before competing at the World Boxing Championships scheduled to take place in Liverpool, United Kingdom, from September 4 to 14, 2025.
The decision follows a new directive issued by World Boxing on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, requiring all female athletes to undergo a PCR-based genetic test to detect the Y chromosome as part of eligibility verification. The move is aimed at ensuring fairness and safety in the women’s category.
Lin’s coach, Tseng Tzu-chiang, said on Thursday, August 21, 2025, that the 29-year-old gold medallist will comply fully with the requirement.
“They announced that everyone must submit, so we will submit as well. If you want to compete, you have to follow the rules,” he told reporters in Taipei.
Lin, who won featherweight gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics, was previously at the centre of controversy along with Algerian boxer Imane Khelif after both were barred by the International Boxing Association (IBA) from the 2023 Women’s World Championships over alleged gender eligibility concerns.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) later cleared the pair to compete at the Paris Games, where Lin went on to secure a historic victory for Taiwan.
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World Boxing, which was formally recognised by the IOC in 2023 after breaking away from the IBA, said its latest rule is designed to standardise eligibility checks and prevent future disputes.
The policy echoes similar regulations introduced in track and field events concerning athletes with differences in sex development (DSD).
Despite the renewed spotlight, Lin has no intention of pulling out of the competition.
“She has not considered withdrawing from the World Championships because of the new tests. We will provide all the documents requested by the organisers as part of the normal procedure,” Tseng added.
The Liverpool event will be the first major world tournament organised under World Boxing’s supervision since its recognition, making Lin’s case a key test of the new rules.