Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting says she blocked out gender dispute en route to Olympic gold

PARIS – Lin Yu-ting, one of two boxers at the centre of a gender dispute at the Paris Olympics, said staying off social media and focusing on her sport had helped her cope with nearly two weeks of international headlines over her eligibility for the Games.

Lin, who beat Polish opponent Julia Szeremeta to claim the women’s featherweight (57kg) gold on Aug 10, and Algerian Imane Khelif, were both caught up in a storm that has dominated headlines and been the subject of heated debate on social media platforms.

The two boxers were disqualified from the 2023 world championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA), which said a sex chromosome test had ruled both of them ineligible.

They competed in Paris after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped the IBA of its status as the sport’s governing body in 2023 and took control of organising the boxing competition itself.

The IOC used boxing eligibility rules that were applied at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics and do not include gender testing.

“As an elite athlete during the competition, it’s important to shut myself off from social media and to focus. That is extremely important,” Lin said after her win.

“Of course, I heard some of the information through my coach, but I didn’t pay too much attention to it. I was invited by the IOC to participate at the Games, this is what I focused on.

“As for the other news, I relied on my coach to answer the questions. I just focused on who my competitor would be, I focused on training and being able to bring my A-game when I fought.”

On Aug 10, Khelif’s lawyer Nabil Boudi said the Algerian boxer had filed a formal legal complaint citing online harassment.

Asked if she would take similar measures, Chinese Taipei’s Lin said: “This is something I will discuss with my team. We will decide later what the next step will be.”

Lin, a two-time world champion, was overcome by emotion after the bout and moved to tears while standing on the podium.

“During the fight, I saw images flashing and I thought about the beginning of my career when I started boxing,” the 28-year-old said.

“All the difficult practice sessions, the times I got injured, the competitors I fought against.

“There were times of great pain and times of great joy. I cried because I was so touched.

“I represented Taiwan, I got the gold medal. I want to thank all the people in Taiwan who supported me, from the beginning to the end.”

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s boxing dominance was completed on Aug 10 as Bakhodir Jalolov and Abdumalik Khalokov won gold to further improve the country’s best-ever performance at the Olympics.

Khalokov and Jalolov added to compatriots Hasanboy Dusmatov, Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev and Lazizbek Mullojonov’s wins, meaning Uzbek boxers have won gold in five out of the seven men’s categories in Paris.

Uzbekistan have won a total of eight gold medals across all sports in Paris, doubling their previous record haul of four in Rio.

Khalokov began the day by beating Kyrgyzstan’s Munarbek Seitbek Uulu by unanimous decision in the men’s featherweight (57kg) final. Australian Charlie Senior and Bulgaria’s Javier Ibanez took bronze after their semi-final defeats.

In the closing bout, defending Olympic, Asian Games and world champion Jalolov encountered little resistance from Spain’s Ayoub Ghadfa in the super heavyweight (over 92kg) final.

The towering Uzbek did well to keep out of his shorter opponent’s range and pick off shots whenever an opening presented itself to win by unanimous decision.

“This is history for Uzbekistan, and I’m emotional because becoming a two-time Olympic champion was my dream,” he said.

“Now, I feel very happy, and I will continue as a professional boxer.”

Uzbekistan’s success in the men’s field has been mirrored by China in the women’s tournament, with Li Qian beating Panama’s Atheyna Bylon in the middleweight (75kg) final to become the third Chinese woman boxer to win gold in Paris.

Before the Games, China had failed to win boxing gold in three editions since women were first permitted to box at the 2012 Olympics. REUTERS