Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting has been embroiled in a gender eligibility controversy ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics and a fight against Uzbek fighter Sitora Turdibekova.
Lin has not been in as much of a predicament as current Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, but Lin was also deemed to have male chromosomes at the same 2023 Women's World Championship tournament that Khelif competed in. Both fighters were disqualified from the tournament.
Here's what you need to know about Lin and the issue.
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Vital parts
Gold medalist Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan is pictured during the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 5, 2023. (ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)
Lin is a 28-year-old boxer from Taipei County, Taiwan, and has been competing in women's boxing matches since high school, according to Taiwan News.
Lin reportedly started turning a hobby into a career to “protect his mother from domestic abuse.”
Lin has competed in the women's bantamweight, women's flyweight and women's featherweight divisions.
Boxing career
Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan celebrates after defeating Karina Ibragimova of Kazakhstan during the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Oct. 5, 2023. (ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)
Lin has been competing in the amateur championship since 2017. Lin won a gold medal at the 2017 Asian Championships in Ho Chi Minh City against Vietnam's Le Thi Bang in the bantamweight division. Lin was 21 years old at the time.
Lin then moved on to the AIBA World Championships in 2018 and won a gold medal in the bantamweight category. Lin also won gold at the 2019 Asian Championships, the 2022 Asian Games and the 2022 World Championships.
Lin wrestled at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were held in 2021. Lin lost to Nesthy Petecio of the Philippines in the round of 16.
But it is at the 2023 World Championships that the controversy surrounding Lin and Khelif begins.
WHO IS IMANE KHELIF, THE ALGERIAN OLYMPIC BOXER WHO PUT MALE CHROMOSOMES?
Gender controversy
Lin was disqualified from the 2023 World Championships and stripped of a bronze medal over gender eligibility issues. International Boxing Association (IBA) President Umar Kremlev issued a statement to Russia's TASS Agency on the reason for Lin's disqualification.
“Based on DNA analysis, we have identified several athletes who tried to deceive their colleagues by pretending to be women. The results of the analysis showed that they had XY chromosomes. These athletes were excluded from the competition,” Kremlev said.
The drama is renewed
Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan, left, fights against Karina Ibragimova of Kazakhstan during the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Oct. 5, 2023. (ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)
Lin qualified for the Paris Olympics and renewed controversy over the boxer's gender.
International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams attempted to explain.
“Everyone competing in the women's category meets the eligibility rules of the competition,” Adams said this week. “They are women on their passports and it says so, that they are women.”
The IBA released a new statement ahead of Khelif's fight and explained why the fighter was disqualified.
“On 24 March 2023, the IBA disqualified athletes Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif from the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships New Delhi 2023,” the IBA said. “This disqualification was a result of their failure to meet the eligibility criteria to participate in the women's competition, as set out and prescribed in the IBA Rules. This decision, taken after a meticulous review, was extremely important and necessary to maintain the level of fairness and the highest integrity of the competition.”
Parveen Hooda of India, left, fights against Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan during the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Oct. 4, 2023. (ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)
“It is important to note that the athletes did not undergo a testosterone test, but rather an independent and recognised test, the details of which are kept confidential,” the statement continued. “This test conclusively indicated that both athletes did not meet the necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors.”
The IBA said Lin underwent two tests: one in 2022 and the other in 2023. The IBA said she did not appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, “making the decision legally binding.”
“Our committees have rigorously reviewed and endorsed the decision taken during the World Championships,” the IBA said. “While the IBA remains committed to ensuring competitive fairness in all our events, we express our concerns about the inconsistent application of eligibility criteria by other sports organisations, including those overseeing the Olympic Games. The differing IOC regulations on these matters, in which the IBA is not involved, raise serious questions about competitive fairness and athlete safety.”
The IOC responded with a statement on Thursday, defending its eligibility requirements and maintaining that Khelif met all requirements.
“These two athletes were 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.”
Lin vs Turdibekova
Parveen Hooda of India, left, fights against Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan during the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Oct. 4, 2023. (ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)
On Friday, Lin will face Uzbekistan's Sitora Turdibekova at the Paris Olympics. Lin is the top seed in the 57-kilogram division.
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Lin's boxing record
Lin has a 40-14 record with one knockout at the amateur level. He last lost in April to Jucielen Cerqueira Romeu in Colorado by split decision.
Lin's defense
New Taipei City Councilman Cho Kuan-ting said on social media that the boxer was registered as female at birth, according to Taiwan News. In addition, the outlet reported that Lin's ID card has a “2” designation meant for women. It apparently cannot be changed.
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