Lin Yu-ting of the Chinese Taipei team defeated Poland’s Julia Szeremeta in the women’s featherweight finals
Lin Yu-ting from Chinese Taipei won the Olympic featherweight gold medal in Paris on Saturday, defeating Poland’s Julia Szeremeta. The victory comes amidst controversy surrounding Lin’s gender identity.
Lin, who won by unanimous decision, was among the athletes disqualified from the Women’s World Boxing Championship in New Delhi in 2023 after failing the International Boxing Association’s (IBA) gender eligibility tests. Regarding the results, the organization’s president, Umar Kremlev, stated that the tests “proved they had XY chromosomes and were thus excluded from the sports events.”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed Lin and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif – who was also disqualified from last year’s tournament – to participate in the Paris Games.
Earlier this month, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams declared that all the athletes “comply with the eligibility rules,” while expressing doubt about the tests conducted by the IBA last year. On Friday, Khelif claimed Olympic gold, defeating China’s Yang Liu in the women’s welterweight finals.
Both Lin and Khelif have been at the center of a heated debate due to their failed DNA tests, with some commentators arguing that it is unfair to allow individuals with male genetic characteristics to compete against female athletes. However, supporters maintain that it is unclear whether the tests detected XY chromosomes or elevated testosterone in their blood samples.
Two years ago, the IBA, led by Kremlev, a Russian national, reversed a ban on Russian and Belarusian boxers, becoming one of the few global sports organizations to permit athletes from these two countries to compete with their national flags and anthems despite international sanctions. In 2023, the IOC stripped the IBA of its recognition due to an alleged failure to implement governance and finance reforms, and assumed responsibility for boxing at the Paris Olympics.