Latest news with #eligibility
The Guardian
30-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Imane Khelif must undergo mandatory sex testing to compete, World Boxing says
Imane Khelif must undergo what World Boxing describes as 'mandatory sex testing' if she wishes to compete in any women's event organised or sanctioned by the governing body. Gender-row boxer Khelif won gold in the women's 66kg category at last summer's Olympic Games, having been cleared to compete despite being disqualified from the 2023 World Championships organised by the International Boxing Association for allegedly failing to meet eligibility criteria. World Boxing announced on Friday it was introducing the testing 'to determine the eligibility of male and female athletes that want to take part in its competitions'. The body – which will oversee boxing at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 – said it had written to the Algerian boxing federation to say that until Khelif had undergone the test, she would not be able to compete in next month's Eindhoven Box Cup or any other women's event under its authority. World Boxing said it was introducing the rules as part of a new policy on sex, age and weight 'to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women'. The letter stated that in the event of a challenge by the federation or by World Boxing to Khelif's sex certification, Khelif would remain ineligible to compete until the dispute was resolved. Speaking to ITV News in March about the row over her involvement at the Olympics, Khelif said: 'I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl. I was born a girl, raised as a girl and have lived my entire life as one. 'I have competed in many tournaments, including the Tokyo Olympics and other major competitions, as well as four World Championships. All of these took place before I started winning and earning titles. But once I began achieving success, the campaigns against me started.' All athletes over 18 wishing to compete in a World Boxing owned or sanctioned event will need to undergo a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic test to determine their sex at birth and their eligibility to compete. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion Athletes deemed to be male at birth, as evidenced by the presence of Y chromosome genetic material (the SRY gene) or with a difference of sexual development (DSD) where male androgenisation occurs, will be eligible to compete in the male category, World Boxing said.
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Vols' Zakai Zeigler sues for fifth year of eligibility, citing NIL pay
May 21 - Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler is suing the NCAA for another year of eligibility, claiming he could lose up to $4 million in NIL money if he isn't allowed to play in 2025-26. Zeigler's lawsuit requests a preliminary injunction allowing him to play a fifth season and arguing he will suffer irreparable harm without immediate relief, with schools currently finalizing rosters and settling NIL deals. According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, Zeigler's lawsuit challenges the NCAA's redshirt rule in which players are allowed to play a fifth year if they sit out a year of competition. Zeigler played four consecutive seasons for the Volunteers from 2021-22 through 2024-25. He argues that he should get be allowed a fifth year of eligibility and its earning potential instead of being punished for not taking a redshirt year, per the News Sentinel. "All NCAA athletes should be eligible to compete and earn NIL compensation during each year of the five-year window -- not just those selected to redshirt," the court filings state. Zeigler filed his suit in the Eastern District of Tennessee. In it, he claims he could make between $2 million and $4 million in name, image and likeness money in 2025-26 after making $500,000 in 2024-25. The lawsuit calls a fifth year "the most lucrative year of the eligibility window for the vast majority of athletes." Zeigler set the Tennessee career records for assists (747) and steals (251). The three-time All-SEC pick and two-time league defensive player of the year averaged 11.3 points, 5.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 138 career games (83 starts). He graduated this month from Tenneseee and plans to pursue a graduate degree. --Field Level Media
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Former Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler suing NCAA for a fifth year of eligibility
Former Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler is suing the NCAA for a fifth year of eligibility, claiming he could earn up to $4 million next year after making $500,000 in his senior season with the Vols. Zeigler's case could have massive ramifications for the sport. It differs from other recent lawsuits challenging eligibility rules in that there are no special circumstances for Zeigler, such as Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia's successful suit to gain another year of play because a court ruled his time in junior college should not count against eligibility. The judge ruled that it violated antitrust law. Advertisement Zeigler is simply asking for a fifth year of eligibility in five years, essentially challenging current redshirt rules that allow an athlete to play four years in a five-year span. Zeigler's representation, Litson PLLC and Garza Law Firm, said in a statement Tuesday that 'the NCAA's rule permitting only four seasons of competition within the five-year eligibility window is an unlawful restraint of trade under federal and state antitrust laws.' The lawsuit claims the fifth year of eligibility is the most lucrative for 'the vast majority of athletes' and that Zeigler will suffer irreparable harm without an immediate injunction allowing him to compete in 2025-26, since schools are finalizing their rosters now. Zeigler intends to pursue a graduate degree after graduating this month from Tennessee with a degree in retail and merchandising management. The lawsuit points out that Zeigler's class is the first in the era of name, image and likeness compensation for athletes that has not been granted an extra year. Classes that entered school between 2016 and 2020 all got the extra year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 'With athletes now paid significant amounts by schools explicitly tied to their participation in athletics, NCAA eligibility rules restrict how long they can sell their labor,' Mit Winter, a college athletics attorney, posted on X. 'If (Zeigler is) successful, that would give every (Division I) athlete who played four seasons in four years another year to play. Would be a lot of athletes with another available season of competition.' The 5-foot-9 Zeigler, a last-minute addition to coach Rick Barnes' 2021 recruiting class, blew past expectations immediately and had a legendary four-year career. He led the Vols to two of the three Elite Eights in program history and is Tennessee's all-time leader in assists (747), which ranks third in SEC history. Advertisement He's the only player in SEC history to be named to the all-defensive team four times and was a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year. He was on the All-SEC first team as a junior and senior, averaging 13.6 points and 7.4 assists in his final season. He was also a fan favorite, and when his family's home in New York burned down when he was a sophomore, UT fans raised more than $360,000 via GoFundMe. Now he seeks another season. If he wins, it would have a huge impact on college athletics in the 2025-26 school year and expedite a development some in the industry have seen as inevitable — five seasons of eligibility for all college athletes.
The Guardian
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Needless controversy over foreign-born Lions players ramps up pressure
For the class of 2017 it was the Geography Six and for the current crop, it may prove to be the Southern Hemisphere Seven. Andy Farrell's squad announcement was low on controversy, on glaring omissions or shock inclusions, and even the Owen issue was dealt with diplomatically. In the days since, however, provenance has been raised as a problem. Farrell selected in his squad three players born in New Zealand, two in Australia and two in South Africa. Willie John McBride – a legend of five Lions tours – is apparently 'bothered' by it and is not alone in expressing concerns at the number of foreign-born players in the 38-man squad. All seven are, of course, entirely eligible. Mack Hansen and Sione Tuipulotu were born in Australia but qualified for Ireland and Scotland respectively via a parent or grandparent. Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe, Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe all qualified on residency grounds. For the record, Marcus Smith was born in Manila and Joe McCarthy in Manhattan while Huw Jones was born in Leith, moved to the south of England as a child and spent his formative rugby years in South Africa. In short, nationality is a complex issue and each player has had their own journey towards a seat on the plane to Australia. Tuipulotu admits he 'didn't grow up dreaming of playing for Scotland or the Lions, that's the truth,' before adding: 'But this is where my path has led me.' He speaks of feeling the need to prove his allegiance and Lowe agrees. 'Obviously when you don't have the blood running through your veins, there is a little bit of that.' The merits of the residency rule have long since been debated and, when World Rugby extended the qualification period from three years to five, it felt like the admission of a loophole needing to be closed, or at least tightened. Certainly, the proliferation of 'project players' has dried up since then. That Farrell's selections have provoked criticism now should be met with unease, however. Hansen was the last of the seven players to make his Test debut three years ago and it is sanctimonious to suggest players with more than 300 Test appearances between them are not befitting of the precious red jersey. 'When I play rugby, I play better when there is a chip on my shoulder anyway,' says Tuipulotu. 'I've been nothing but embraced by the Scottish public since I've been playing for Scotland. There are always going to be a couple of people like there are for some of the Irish boys, but I take that in my stride because I don't blame those people, either. I'm looking forward to showing how committed I am to playing for the Lions with how I play and I can't wait to get over there.' After making his comeback from a long-term pectoral injury last weekend, Tuipulotu is the frontrunner for the Test No 12 jersey in Australia. Before injury struck, he captained Scotland against the Wallabies last autumn and his grandmother, Jaqueline, flew over from Australia to take her place in the Murrayfield crowd. 'In those early days, just to be completely transparent, you have that feeling of: 'Am I part of this?'' Tuipulotu says. 'When my gran came over before the Australia game, it allowed the public to put a face to the story, listen to how much it meant to her. I think that gave eyes to the public that my story is authentic.' Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion The sleepless nights brought on by fears that his injury might cost Tuipulotu his place in the Lions squad only highlight his determination to prove himself this summer. 'I think it was just the fact it was my pec,' he says. 'If you had asked me what the first big injury of my career [would be], I'd say my ankle or my knee but the fact that it was my boob just didn't make any sense to me. 'I just felt it was over for me and I put so much on myself that I really wanted to be a Lion because I know how much it means to people over here.' Lowe, meanwhile, is set to join the select band of players who have played for and against the Lions. In 2017 he lined up at full-back as the Maori All Blacks were well beaten by Gatland's tourists in Rotorua. 'I think everyone would admit that was their first actual Test match, the first one they properly turned up for,' Lowe says. 'It was an introduction into what it actually meant to the boys playing for the Lions and a level of intensity that was unmatched. 'When I was first selected for Ireland, all the people come out of the woodwork saying: 'How is this person representing Ireland?' But the rules are there. We've all done our time. I am fully embedded in the culture of Ireland. Sione's captained Scotland. You don't have to question where his allegiance lies. My old man walks around in an Ireland jersey and a Leinster jumper. 'Everyone's got a different story, my story just didn't start in Ireland. But I can see it ending in Ireland. My two kids were born in Ireland. My wife and I are super happy with everything Ireland has given us and we don't see ourselves moving.'
Japan Times
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Japan rugby tightens eligibility rules on foreign-born players
Japanese rugby chiefs on Tuesday announced a shake-up of eligibility rules aiming to give local players more time on the pitch but casting doubt over the future of naturalized internationals. Foreign-born players have played a prominent role for Japan's national team, which stunned South Africa at the 2015 World Cup and reached the quarterfinals on home soil four years later. But Japan Rugby League One said domestic clubs will have to field at least eight players who were raised in the country from the 2026-27 season. Exceptions will be made for players who have more than 30 caps for Japan. The league said the change was needed to encourage more Japan-born players to pursue professional careers. More than half of the players who started last season's Japanese championship final were born overseas. They included current Japan captain Michael Leitch, who has won 87 caps since making his international debut in 2008. Leitch was born in New Zealand but moved to Japan at the age of 15 to attend high school as part of an exchange program. Under the current rules, Japanese clubs must field at least 11 players eligible to be selected for the country's national team. This group can include foreign-born players who have been continuously registered with a Japanese club for four years. Under the new rules, a new category will be created for players who spent at least six years in the Japanese education system before going to high school. Teams must field at least eight of these players at any one time, squeezing out foreign-born Japan internationals who do not meet the criteria. Were the rule to come into force today, several current Japan internationals, including center Dylan Riley and lock Warner Dearns, would miss out.
