“I think it’s very important that when people are eligible to compete here, we have to respect them,” Van Der Vorst said. The now-banished International Boxing Association, which World Boxing hopes to replace, claimed both fighters failed gender eligibility tests at its 2023 world championships after both had competed in amateur boxing for many years. “What happened today, it shouldn’t be happening like this," Van Der Vorst told the AP. Both Taiwan and Algeria are still IBA members, but Lin competed in a World Boxing invitational tournament in Pueblo, Colorado, last spring. Van Der Vorst left the eventful day disappointed in the wild conclusions and speculation thrown across social media about both fighters.
