Second boxer embroiled in gender controversy, Lin Yu-ting, wins Olympic match

Lin Yu‑ting of Taiwan won her fight against Sitora Turbidekova of Uzbekistan by unanimous decision at the Paris Olympics on Friday.

The second of the two female boxers whose gender identities have recently been scrutinized won her first fight at the Paris Olympics on Friday.

Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan defeated Sitora Turdibekova of Uzbekistan in the 57 kg round-of-16 match by unanimous decision and advanced to the quarterfinals. Her victory follows Thursday’s win by Algeria’s Imane Khelif, whose gender identity has also come into question in recent days, prompting a social media firestorm.

The participation of Lin and Khelif in Olympic women’s boxing has sparked global outrage in recent days after reports resurfaced that the pair failed to meet gender eligibility tests at the Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi last year. Sporting officials at the time alleged that the boxers failed an unspecified test because they had male chromosomes.

Lin and Khelif have always competed in women’s events — including at the Tokyo Olympics — and there is no indication that either identifies as transgender or intersex, the latter referring to those born with sex characteristics that do not fit strictly into the male-female gender binary.

On Thursday, tensions over the pair’s participation came to a head when Khelif’s opponent, Angela Carini of Italy, quit 46 seconds into the match.

https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/boxer-gender-controversy-olympics-lin-yu-ting-rcna164843

---