KUALA LUMPUR – Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting secured a decisive victory in her first bout of the Paris Olympics, overcoming Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova in the women’s 57kg division.
Yu-ting’s win is particularly noteworthy given the controversy surrounding her participation.
Yu-ting, whose inclusion at the Games has been marred by a failed gender test report last year, faced mixed reactions from the crowd as she entered the arena.
Despite the tension, she emerged victorious by unanimous decision, with only one of the five judges awarding a round to Turdibekova.
The fight lasted the full three rounds, contrasting sharply with the brief 46-second bout of Algerian Imane Khelif, who also faced controversy and advanced on Thursday.
Following the match, Turdibekova left the arena in tears, avoiding media interactions, while Yu-ting stopped briefly but did not comment.
Yu-ting, a three-time world championship medallist and two-time Asian champion, now holds a career record of 41 wins and 14 defeats. Turdibekova, 22, was competing in her first Olympics.
The controversy surrounding Yu-ting and Khelif has heightened tensions in the boxing community.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) had initially banned both athletes, citing concerns about fairness and integrity.
However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which bases eligibility on an athlete’s passport, allowed them to compete.
The IOC has criticised the IBA’s handling of the situation, describing the disqualifications as lacking due process.
The IBA, which defines gender based on chromosomal characteristics, was stripped of its status as the sport’s governing body by the IOC last June.
Despite this, the IBA’s chief executive defended the testing procedures, citing concerns raised by the medical committee.
Carini apologises for lack of post-match sportsmanship
In another development, Italian boxer Angela Carini, who withdrew from her bout with Khelif on Thursday after taking a punch to the face, has since expressed regret.
Carini, who withdrew citing the need to “preserve my life”, apologised for her actions and the lack of post-fight sportsmanship.
“All this controversy makes me sad. I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision,” Carini told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.
She also said that she would have preferred to embrace Khelif had circumstances been different. – August 3, 2024