Lin Yu-Ting will fight for Olympic featherweight gold on Friday.
But the Taiwanese ace will have to beat one of the most unconventional opponents of her career to win Olympic gold.
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All that stands between the 28-year-old – who has been at the centre of a gender controversy with Algeria’s Imane Khalif – and Paris 2024 glory polandJulia Szeremeta.
The 20-year-old booked her place in the final with a win over Venezuela’s Omailen Alcala. AustraliaTina Rahimi, Ashlyn Lozada of Puerto Rico and Nesthy Petecio of the Philippines.
And he’s done it in a less-than-conservative style, with plenty of showmanship included.
Szeremeta showed off his performance for the gold medal, lowering his hands and even jumping in the air during the bout.
But she will be better able to play her cards right against the ferocious Lin, who enters the tournament as the No. 1 seed.
She produced a calm and composed performance with superb technique and footwork to defeat Turkey’s Esra Yildiz Kahraman and win by unanimous decision for the third consecutive time.
Lin’s performance has been overshadowed by the fierce debate over his participation. Games,
Lin and Khalif – who are in the women’s welterweight final – are both competing at the Games 18 months after allegedly failing gender eligibility tests.
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Olympic gender controversy
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has sparked a major controversy by allowing two women to participate in boxing who had earlier failed gender tests.
Iman Khalif of Algeria and Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan have been disqualified from the Women’s World Championships to be held in New Delhi, India in March 2023.
Lin Yu-ting was stripped of the bronze medal for failing the gender eligibility test.
Khalif was disqualified after failing a testosterone level test in New Delhi.
Officials found that tests showed he had ‘XY chromosomes’ – indicating the person is biologically male.
Rare ‘intersex’ medical conditions, known medically as differences in sex development (DSDs), can also mean that outwardly female individuals can have ‘male’ chromosomes, or vice versa.
The Russia-led International Boxing Association organised that tournament but is no longer recognised by the IOC.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: “These athletes have competed many times before over many years, they didn’t suddenly turn up – they competed in Tokyo.
“The federation needs to create rules to make sure there is fairness, but at the same time it needs to allow everyone who wants to take part to participate. It’s a difficult balance.”
“At the end of the day the experts in each sport are the people who work in it. If there is a huge advantage then it is clearly not acceptable, but that decision has to be taken at that level.”
Both Khalifa and Lin competed at the delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. Lin is a two-time winner at the Asian Women’s Amateur Boxing Championships.
The IOC said all boxers in Paris “will comply with the eligibility and entry rules of the competition”.
This controversy arose following the famous case of Caster Semenya.
Semenya, a South African middle-distance runner, has a condition that causes her body to produce higher levels of testosterone than women naturally do.
She won gold in the 800m at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics, but was unable to compete at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics because World Athletics had then introduced new rules independently of the IOC.
Tests carried out by the Russian-backed IBA are said to have shown that both have male XY chromosomes.
Both were disqualified from the Women’s World Championships as a result of these tests.
But the International Olympic Committee allowed the women to compete, raising doubts about the reliability of the tests.
However, the IBA revealed this week that they Will not done Details of the tests will be revealed.
During a farcical press conference on Monday, IBA general secretary Chris Roberts said: “It has never been our intention to do anything like this.
“We are not allowed to give away any information, but you can read the meaning between the lines.
“We are not in a position to share any results, but the IOC has seen them.”
He added: “Yesterday evening and today morningWe have received letters from China and Algeria stating that we cannot give any information about the boxers.
“You can understand what this means – once again, read between the lines.”
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Szeremeta is not involving herself in the gender controversy and is solely focused on bringing the gold medal back to her country.
“There is no point talking about the silver medal,” he said.
“I’m trying for the gold medal,” she said immediately after the bout.
“I’m not afraid of anyone; I don’t feel respected,” Szeremeta said.
“I go out and do my job. I can’t wait for the final.”
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“Another win gives me confidence and I don’t feel any tension. I take it like a regular tournament.”
“I don’t think it’s because of the games. I box comfortably.”
