{"id":301172,"date":"2023-12-02T11:09:23","date_gmt":"2023-12-02T11:09:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=301172"},"modified":"2023-12-02T11:09:23","modified_gmt":"2023-12-02T11:09:23","slug":"trans-boxing-division-hits-a-snag-as-wbc-president-provides-update-exclusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/boxing\/trans-boxing-division-hits-a-snag-as-wbc-president-provides-update-exclusive\/","title":{"rendered":"Trans boxing division hits a snag as WBC president provides update – EXCLUSIVE"},"content":{"rendered":"

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WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman says the response to join a new transgender boxing division has been “very minimal”. The major sanctioning body put out\u00a0a \u201cglobal call\u201d twelve months ago to tally up the number of trans athletes willing to compete in the sport, with the aim of setting up a separate league.<\/p>\n

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However, there have been no formal applications at the time of writing although discussions are still ongoing with groups and individuals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Speaking exclusively to Express Sport<\/em>, Sulaiman said: “It’s been a very, very slow call. A bit complicated. It made the headlines as a popular topic worldwide. However, the response has been very, very minimal as far as athletes that would be eligible to look into creating a tournament or a division or a category specifically for transgender athletes. So the transgender situation, it is a topic of interest, but there is not a universe of athletes at this time.”<\/p>\n

Asked whether the WBC have received any applications from willing participants, Sulaiman replied: “No, we have had discussions with groups. There is one gymnasium in New York which is for transgender athletes. We have had calls with groups.<\/p>\n

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“There was an informal approach from one fighter who has transitioned. We have each other’s numbers but we have not spoken directly.”<\/p>\n

The\u00a0WBC have made it clear that they intend to adopt an \u201cat birth\u201d rule for the division,\u00a0meaning a trans fighter born a man will only be able to compete against a fellow trans fighter born a man with the same rule applying to trans fighters born as women.\u00a0Trans competitors will also not be permitted to fight against non-trans boxers and must compete solely within their own separate categories under the auspices of the WBC.<\/p>\n

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