The Taiwanese Lin Yu Ting, one of two Olympic boxers involved in a gender controversy, beat the Uzbek this Friday in her debut in Paris-2024 Sitora Turdibekova by unanimous decision.
According to the criteria of
The participation of Lin, who advanced to the quarterfinals of the 57kg category, and of Algerian Imane Khelif was widely criticized because they were disqualified from the World Championships a year ago for failing a gender test, the details of which are unknown.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has repeatedly defended its decision to allow them to compete in Paris, saying that “it is established that they are women.”
The controversy erupted on Thursday after Khelif’s first rival, Italian Angela
Carini retired in tears after only 46 seconds of combat, during which he received several strong blows to the face.
Images of the fight quickly spread on social media with sports figures, such as Martina Navratilova, and politicians, from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to former US President Donald Trump, criticising the IOC’s authorisation of Khelif’s participation.
Lin’s debut
In her first turn in the ring, Lin displayed greater mobility and punching power against Turdibekova that allowed her to dominate the fight from the beginning.
PARIS, 02/08/2024.- Boxer Yu Ting Lin (red), from Taipei, with Puerto Rican referee Emanuel Ferreira (right) during her boxing match in the 57kg category of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games against Uzbek Sitora Turdibekova, this Friday. EFE/ Miguel Gutiérrez
Photo:
The tall Taiwanese boxer, 1.75m tall, also showed off her greater size against the Uzbek (1.70m).
Asked about her gender before the fight, Lin told Taiwanese broadcaster TVBS that she was only thinking about “performing better in the ring.”
“I guess my opponents are afraid of my strength,” so my detractors “just look for a loophole and make a big deal out of it,” he said.
Criticism of Lin and Khelif centres on the fact that both were disqualified from the 2023 World Boxing Championship for not meeting “eligibility criteria”.
The suspension was decided by the International Boxing Association (IBA), the organisation from which the IOC withdrew the organisation of the Olympic tournament due to a lack of transparency. Everyone wants a “simple explanation” but there is no “black and white” explanation, neither “in the scientific community nor anywhere else,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said on Friday, referring to the controversy that has dominated headlines at the Games in recent days.
SPORTS WITH AFP
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