Yu-Ting Lin at the centre of latest Olympic eruption
By Matt Bozeat
THE gender row at the Paris Olympics erupted again after Taiwanese boxer Yu-Ting Lin secured a medal at the Paris Nord Arena.
Lin swept the last two rounds on all cards against Bulgaria’s Svetlana Staneva to reach the semi finals at 57kgs.
Borislav Georgiev, the Bulgarian boxer’s coach, faced the press afterwards with a note that read: ‘I only want to play with women. I am XX.’
Georgiev explained through an interpreter: “I wrote the message, but it comes from every single woman boxer in the tournament.”
Lin and Algerian welterweight Imane Khelif were both reported to have returned chromosome tests that read XY at last year’s Women’s World Championship in New Delhi.
Women typically have two X chromosomes, while men typically have an X and Y chromosome.
The International Boxing Association, at loggerheads with the International Olympic Committee after they were stripped of Olympic recognition, gave the tests in New Delhi.
IBA Chief Executive Chris Roberts told BBC Sport yesterday that XY male chromosomes were found in “both cases.”
Georgiev said: “I’m not a medical person who should say if Lin could compete or not here, but when the test shows that he or she has the Y chromosome she should not be here.”
Georgiev was also aggrieved that the decision went against his boxer, who beat Ireland’s Michaela Walsh in the previous round.
He said: “The judges stole the win.”
Lin appeared a clear winner after a tight opening round that she won on three of the five cards.
Colchester light-middleweight Lewis Richardson last night ensured the Great Britain team’s first boxing medal with a points win over Jordanian slugger Zeyad Eashash.
Richardson boxed his way into a 20-18 lead on three cards after two rounds and then held off Eashash’s charge in the final three minutes to set up a semi final against Mexico’s Marco Verde, who outlasted Nishant Dev (India) in an exciting clash of southpaws.
Richardson faces Verde on Tuesday night for a place in the 71kgs final.
