Boxing plans to form a category solely for TRANSGENDER athletes
Boxing plans to form a category solely for TRANSGENDER athletes in 2023 with the WBC looking to move forward for ‘safety and inclusion’ reasons… as the sport prepares to instigate a ‘global call’ for trans athletes
- The World Boxing Council is set to establish a transgender category for 2023
- WBC chief Mauricio Sulaiman wants boxing to evolve for ‘safety and inclusion’
- The sport’s proposal, which is still in its infancy, plans to adopt the ‘at birth’ rule
- Sulaiman insisted that trans boxers will not be allowed to fight non-trans athletes
The World Boxing Council plans to introduce a new category solely for transgender fighters in 2023, according to reports.
The sport will soon initiate a ‘global call’ for trans athletes to come forward ahead of next year, with the aim of setting up a fresh league or tournament.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman believes that boxing needs to evolve for ‘safety and inclusion’ reasons.
World Boxing Council chief Mauricio Sulaiman plans to establish a new transgender category
In an interview with The Telegraph, he insisted that trans fighters will not be allowed to compete against non-trans athletes as a result of their proposal.
‘We are going to put out a global call for those who are interested in 2023 and we will set up the protocols, start consultation and most likely create a league and a tournament,’ Sulaiman said.
‘It is the time to do this, and we are doing this because of safety and inclusion. We have been the leaders in rules for women’s boxing – so the dangers of a man fighting a woman will never happen because of what we are going to put in place.
‘In boxing, a man fighting a woman must never be accepted regardless of gender change. There should be no grey area around this, and we want to go into it with transparency and the correct decisions.
‘Woman to man or man to woman transgender change will never be allowed to fight a different gender by birth.’
Patricio Manuel became the first trans male boxer from USA to fight as a professional in 2018
Adopting the ‘at birth’ rule, the sport will only allow trans fighters to compete against each other if the athletes were born with the same sex.
Sulaiman added: ‘We are creating a set of rules and structures so that transgender boxing can take place, as they fully deserve to if they want to box.
‘We do not yet know the numbers that there are out there, but we’re opening a universal registration in 2023, so that we can understand the boxers that are out there – and we’ll start from there.’
The concept of transgender athletes competing in sport has been thrown into the spotlight in recent years, with swimming, weightlifting, cycling and rugby union among the sports affected by the debate.
As boxing is a contact sport, the WBC were keen to get on top of the issue and propose an appropriate plan of action to ensure that all health and safety concerns were considered.
Sulaiman is eager for the sport to evolve for ‘safety and inclusion’ reasons ahead of next year
Danny Baker, Britain’s first ever transgender boxer, transitioned in his twenties after being born a female and has since fought in a handful of semi-professional bouts.
However, according to The Telegraph, the Boxing Board of Control urged that Baker is not licensed to box.
Meanwhile in 2018, Patricio Manuel became the first transgender male boxer to compete as a professional in US history, defeating Mexican super-featherweight Hugo Aguilar.
The now 37-year-old, who has not fought since, underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2015 after experiencing approximately a year of hormone treatment.
Britain’s first ever trans boxer Danny Baker was a born a female and transitioned in his twenties
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