Bulgarian boxer Svetlana Staneva made a hand gesture after losing to 'biological male' Lin Yu-Ting in the quarterfinal of the women's featherweight event at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Sunday, August 4.
After Algerian Imane Kheif, who sparked gender debate following her controversial win against Italian pugilist Angela Carini, Lin Yu-Ting's participation and victory over Staneva intensified the debate over gender and fairness in women's sports.
Like Imane Kheif, Lin Yu-Ting was too cleared by the International Olympic Committee to compete in women's boxing on the basis of gender eligibility on the athlete's passport gender.
In the quarterfinal, Lin Yu-Ting defeated Svetlana Staneva by a unanimous decision to ensure a bronze medal by qualifying for the semifinal of the women's featherweight event. However, Svetlana seemed to be disappointed over getting defeated by a biological male.
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In a video that went viral on social media, Bulgarian Stanvena can be seen acknowledging the crowd and making an 'X' hand gesture before leaving the ring box. The 'XX' means female chromosomes and possibly Svetlana Staneva was protest against the inclusion of Lin Yu-Ting in the women's boxing.
Lin Yu-Ting, alongside Imane Kheif, was disqualified from the 2023 World Boxing Championships after failing to clear the gender eligibility Test conducted by the International Boxing Association. The Twainese boxer's bronze medal was stripped after failing the gender eligibility test and the medal was awarded to Svetlana Staneva.
Lin Yu-Ting participated in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics but knocked out after losing to Nesthy Petecio of Philippines in the round of 16.
'I know all of Taiwan's people are standing behind me': Lin Yu-Ting
Lin Yu-Ting has hogged the spotlight amid the gender row but the 28-year-old is not bothered as she is focused on winning a medal for the people of Taiwan.
"I know all of Taiwan's people are standing behind me and supporting me, and I will carry this energy to the end," Lin said after the win against Svetlana Staneva
Lin Yu-Ting will look to advance to the Final when she takes on Esra Yildiz Kahraman in the semifinal of the women's featherweight event. The Taiwanese boxer and Alegrian pugilist Imane Khelif are the only two 'biological male' boxers to win medals in the history of the Olympics.
