Lin Yu-ting, an Olympic gold medal-winning boxer states to return to competition following a review of her gender eligibility.

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Lin Yu-ting, an Olympic gold medal-winning boxer from Taiwan, has been cleared to return to competition following a review of her sex eligibility. The announcement was made by World Boxing, the governing body for the sport, ahead of the upcoming Asian Boxing Championships set to begin on March 29 in Mongolia.

The decision comes in the wake of a contentious debate surrounding the eligibility of Lin and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, both of whom won gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Their success sparked scrutiny and discussion regarding the biological sex of athletes, particularly in light of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) eligibility rules at the time. While both athletes met the IOC’s standards during the Olympics, their victories led to a politically charged discourse on the matter.

World Boxing, which took over as the sport’s governing body last year, implemented a new sex eligibility policy in August 2025. The policy requires athletes to undergo a one-time genetic test to identify the presence of a Y chromosome. Although the results of Lin’s test were not disclosed, World Boxing acknowledged the appeal process initiated by the Chinese Taipei Boxing Association concerning one of its boxers.

The Taiwanese boxing association expressed relief at the decision, stating that independent medical experts confirmed Lin’s female status since birth. Lin’s return to the ring is highly anticipated, as she has been absent from several international competitions since the introduction of the genetic testing requirement.

Khelif, who has also not competed in World Boxing-sanctioned events since the policy’s implementation, has indicated her desire to return to Olympic-level boxing. She is set to make her professional debut in April, although professional fighters are currently ineligible to compete in the Olympics. Both Lin and Khelif were previously excluded from the International Boxing Association’s 2023 world championships due to failed eligibility tests, but the IOC allowed them to compete in Paris, citing their situation as a result of an arbitrary decision by the IBA.