Another name has been caught in the gender storm surrounding Algeria’s Imane Khelif! Lin Yu-ting, who’ll be competing in the women’s 57 kg category at Paris, has been receiving immense backlash, despite the International Olympic Committee upholding her eligibility to compete in the women’s category.

This is in stark contrast with last year’s eyebrow raising verdict where the International Boxing Association (IBA) alleged the two boxers “pretended to be women”. But before we get to that part, here’s everything you need to know about the 28-year-old boxer hailing from Chinese Taipei (Taiwan).

Lin Yu-ting used to serve in the IBA, the very governing body that banned her 

Lin Yu-ting, a standout Taiwanese boxer born on December 13, 1995, boasts an impressive amateur record of 40 wins and 14 losses. Competing in the featherweight division, she remains a formidable presence despite her recent defeat against Jucielen Cerqueira Romeu in April this year. 

Notably, Yu-Ting was elected to the Champions and Veterans Committee of the IBA in 2021. What’s even more surprising? This is not her first Olympic campaign. She made her debut in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she lost in the featherweight round of 16 to Nesthy Petecio. However, it can be said her last Olympic stint wasn’t marred with controversy, like this one.

Originally an athlete, she switched to boxing in middle school, hoping to help her family financially. Notably, Yu-ting received a scholarship that helped fund her education. The hard work paid off as she made a big splash at the 2013 2013 AIBA Women’s Junior/Youth World Boxing Championships, grabbing the gold medal in the 51 kg weight class and becoming the first Taiwanese woman to do so. She kept the momentum going with another gold medal at the 2017 ASBC Elite Boxing Championships in the 54 kg class and a bronze at the 2018 Asian Games in the 51 kg weight class.

In 2018, Lin clinched gold at the AIBA World Women’s Championships in New Delhi in the bantamweight category. 2019 wasn’t too shabby for hr either, with another gold medal at the ASBC Elite Boxing Championships in the 57 kg class and a bronze at the AIBA World Women’s Championships in the same weight class.

But in 2023, things hit a snag when she got disqualified by the IBA from the Women’s World Boxing Championships. The Chinese Taipei Boxing Association is planning to appeal the decision, but here’s the scoop on why she was disqualified in the first place!

Why was Lin Yu-ting disqualified from the World Championships?

So, here’s the lowdown: Lin Yu-ting got booted from the 2023 Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi because of drama over her gender. IBA’s president Umar Kremlev told Russian news agency TASS, Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting’s DNA tests “proved they had XY chromosomes and were thus excluded from the sports events”. Some reports also stated the boxers failed a testosterone test. 

Subsequently, yu-Ting was stripped of her bronze medal—a decision she didn’t appeal. However, the credibility behind Kremlev’s claims was equally questioned when the IOC withdrew its recognition of the IBA. “The IOC has taken note of the decision by the International Boxing Association (IBA) with regard to prize money. As always with the IBA, it is unclear where the money is coming from. This total lack of financial transparency was exactly one of the reasons why the IOC withdrew its recognition of the IBA,” a press release stated.  

As things stand, IOC has declared all participants comply with the eligibility and entry criteria. 

Even IOC spokesperson Mark Adams defended the decision, saying, “As for the question about testosterone and going through male puberty, we issued a framework document to all the federations. And everyone would love to have a single answer: yes, no, yes, no. But it’s incredibly complex…These athletes have competed many times before for many years, they haven’t just suddenly arrived – they competed in Tokyo.”

Amid the controversy, Lin yu-Ting will surely be looking for redemption through a podium finish in Paris. Only time will tell if that dream gets realized.