Lin Yu-Ting is the second boxing athlete in the female division to be a part of the gender controversy at the 2024 Olympic Games. The Taiwanese representative is one of the favorites for the podium finish, but many believe that she has an advantage over her rivals. Well, Lin won her opening match at the Games, beating Sitora Turdibekova with ease.
Lin Yu-Ting’s bout against Sitora Turdibekova went the full distance, ultimately coming down to the judges’ decision after three rounds. However, that decision proved just how dominant Lin was, since all five judges voted in her favor. Four of the judges gave a score of 30-27, while one judge scored the fight 29-28.
While the drama was not similar to the case of Imane Khelif, whose opponent forfeited the match and broke down into tears. However, the gender controversy stems from the same position for both Lin Yu-Ting and Imane. Namely, Lin also failed the gender eligibility test conducted by the IBA (International Boxing Association) in 2023. It was unspecified what the test consisted of, but speculations have involved increased testosterone levels and the presence of the XY chromosome.
So, while many expected that Lin Yu-Ting would not appear in the 2024 Olympic Games, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) stopped its recognition of the IBA, including the bans that they gave out to athletes. So, the IOC has decided to watch over the boxing tournament at the 2024 Olympics. In turn, the athlete’s gender is decided based on their passport.
Lin Yu-Ting’s passport does state that she is a woman, and there doesn’t seem to be any proof of gender transition in her medical history. However, seeing Lin dominate her opponent after the failed gender eligibility test from last year definitely brought up some suspicion among the fans of the sport.
International Olympic Committee Reaction
The IOC has released a statement defending their decision and displaying some interesting arguments that go in favor of the athletes.
“Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination.
We have seen in reports misleading information about two female athletes competing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The two athletes have been competing in international boxing competitions for many years in the women’s category, including the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championships and IBA-sanctioned tournaments.
These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA. Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process,” as per the official IOC statement.
Lin Yu-Ting made her boxing debut back in 2013 and has since taken part in a total of 58 matches. Her record consists of 41 victories, one of which was a knockout, and 14 losses. So, while Lin does not seem to have the power to KO, a large portion of her wins come from a unanimous decision.
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Despite the controversy, Lin Yu-Ting will continue competing at the 2024 Olympic Games. She is advancing to the round of eight, where she is set to battle Svetlana Kamenova from Bulgaria. Svetlana also won her match with a unanimous decision, meaning that she should pose a threat to Lin Yu-Ting.
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