The Taiwanese Lin Yu-tingone of the two female boxers Paris 2024 who were involved in a gender controversy, an Olympic medal was guaranteed this Sunday with a resounding victory in the quarterfinals of the 57 kilo category. The Asian, who has secured at least one of the two bronze medals awarded by Olympic boxing, defeated the Bulgarian by unanimous decision. Svetlana Staneva on the ring of the Paris Arena Norte.
Despite the aggressiveness of her opponent, who proposed a very offensive strategy, Lin maintained her composure and fought patiently, waiting for her opportunities to hit and take advantage of Staneva’s progressive fatigue.
“Today I secured a medal against a very respectable rival”said the Taiwanese when she got out of the ring. “Winning this fight doesn’t mean I can relax, of course. I need to perfect myself at every step to defeat all my rivals and get the gold,” she added.
The suspensions were decided by the International Boxing Association (IBA), an organization from which the International Olympic Committee (IOC) withdrew the organization of the Olympic tournament due to lack of transparency.
The images of the victorious debut of the Algerian Khelif against the Italian Angela Carini caused a fire on social networks on Thursday with a legion of users doubting that the African boxer is a woman, while conservative political figures such as the Italian president, Giorgia Melonihis Argentine counterpart, Javier Mileyand former US president Donald Trump They protested against the IOC’s authorization for Khelif and Lin to compete in Paris.
The IOC unwaveringly defended the participation of the boxers, none of whom have identified as transgender. The president of the organization himself, Thomas Bachassured on Saturday that “there has never been any doubt that they are women.”
The leader considered that the attacks that the boxers received on social networks are a “hate speech” that is fueled by a political “agenda.”
“Many people encouraged me in Paris and also in my country,” Lin declared on Sunday, who assured that he is not following the controversy on social networks.
“I received many messages of support. I didn’t read them because I turned off my social networks. I am going to carry this strength to the end,” said the Taiwanese who, like Khelif, competed in the 2020 Tokyo Games without reaching the podium.
Lin and Staneva knew each other well since they were also rivals in the quarterfinals of the 2023 World Cup, with another triumph for the Taiwanese. Lin’s subsequent disqualification from the World Cup saw her bronze medal go to Staneva.