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USA Boxing is under fire for a new addition to its rule book for 2024.
Under the governing body’s new rule book is a transgender policy that will allow biological men to compete against biological women in the ring.
Male boxers over the age of 18 can compete in the female category if they fully complete gender reassignment surgery. Those who transition will also be required to have testosterone levels below a certain limit.
From the New York Post:
Boxers who transitioned into women are required under the new policy to have testosterone levels under five nanomoles per liter for three years prior to their first competition in the “female” category, and their total testosterone levels must be below five nmol/L throughout their period of eligibility.
Athletes under the age of 18 will be required to continue competing in the division of their birth gender.
Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, who has been outspoken against allowing biological men to compete against biological women, slammed USA Boxing for the new policy.
“Mark my words, it will take a woman getting killed before these misogynistic fools wake up,” she wrote on X.
USA boxing @USABoxing to allow men who merely say they are women to fight against women.
Mark my words, it will take a woman getting killed before these misogynistic fools wake up. https://t.co/GSNKgqtMd2
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) December 30, 2023
Colorado congresswoman Lauren Boebert also ripped the policy.
“Let’s call this what it is. They’re going to allow men to beat women up in a boxing ring,” she wrote. “This is pathetic and disgusting.”
Let’s call this what it is.
They’re going to allow men to beat women up in a boxing ring.
This is pathetic and disgusting. https://t.co/xsqBWeI1VG
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) December 31, 2023
Athletes were also getting involved in the discussion, with professional boxer Mikaela Mayer saying trans athletes should be ineligible for competition because hormone therapy is banned in the sport.
“By default, this should make trans athletes ineligible for competition. Period,” professional boxer Mikaela Mayer wrote on X.
“Doesn’t matter how you feel about the situation, fact is, it’s illegal and completely disrupts the even playing field that sport works so hard to create.”
Others who have expressed their concerns include former three-division boxing champ Claressa Shields and current bantamweight world titleholder Ebanie Bridges.
“I don’t care about ‘political correctness,” Bridges wrote. “It’s politically incorrect to have a man fighting a woman… and [I don’t care] that’s exactly what this is… this society is too soft… This is our health and safety.
“The girls need to stick together or women’s sports in 50 years will be filled with male-born champions.”
This is wrong on so many levels. I will never agree to this… it's bad enough having trans women breaking records in other sports like track and field, swimming and power lifting but it's a bit different to them breaking our skulls in combat sports where the aim is to HURT YOU… https://t.co/a58ADwPvpC
— Blonde Bomber 🥊💁🏼♀️ (@EbanieBridges) December 30, 2023
She continued, “It’s bad enough having trans women breaking records in other sports like track and field, swimming and powerlifting but it’s a bit different to them breaking our skulls in combat sports where the aim is to HURT YOU, not just break a record.
“It ain’t just about the test levels, what about their bone density and a heap of other biological factors. Cutting ur bits off and adding boobs won’t take back the masculine maturity your body has gone thru before you decided u are now a woman. #ISaidWhatISaid.”
It will be interesting to see if USA Boxing reverses course on its policy as more female athletes continue to speak out.