- Khelif and Lin win medals despite gender debate
Boxers at the center of a heated gender debate secure Olympic medal
The boxers at the center of a heated gender debate have secured an Olympic medal. A day after Algerian Imane Khelif, Taiwanese Lin Yu-Ting also advanced to the semifinals of the tournament. Both athletes, whose fights have been accompanied by a highly emotional controversy over their eligibility to compete in the Paris Olympics, have thus secured at least bronze.
Lin defeated Bulgarian Swetlana Stanewa unanimously on points in her quarterfinal in the 57 kg weight class. The 28-year-old fell into her coach's arms in relief after the verdict was announced.
Suddenly, there was worldwide interest in women's boxing.
More emotional scenes had played out after Khelif's semifinal victory on Saturday. After winning unanimously against Hungarian Anna Luca Hamori, the welterweight was cheered on by numerous Algerian fans in the hall. After the verdict was announced, the 25-year-old slammed her hand on the ring floor, saluted, and broke down in tears.
"This is a matter of dignity and honor for every woman," Khelif said on beIN Sports. She felt wronged, "but I have God. Allah Akbar." Afterwards, she was wrapped in an Algerian flag by attendants and taken to the locker room. Hundreds of journalists waited in vain for a statement from the athlete.
After Khelif's opening win by technical knockout against Italian Angela Carini in just 46 seconds, the eligibility of both Algerian and Taiwanese boxers was called into question by some, including right-wing politicians like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and former US President Donald Trump. Both boxers were excluded from the IBA, which is not recognized by the IOC, after unexplained tests. The IBA claimed that both boxers did not meet the participation criteria and had a competitive advantage compared to other female participants.
The IOC called it a "random decision without proper procedure" and allowed Lin and Khelif to participate in Paris. "There was never any doubt that they are women," IOC President Thomas Bach reiterated. The IOC warned of a "culture war" being waged on the backs of the athletes.
Hate and support
Lin and Khelif were attacked online, with Lin saying she avoids social media. However, they also received support. Human rights organizations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and ILGA World supported the two athletes. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune congratulated Khelif on Twitter: "They have honored Algeria, Algerian women, and Algerian boxing. We will stand by their side, whatever the outcome of their results."
Khelif's mother Irene also reacted with pride that her daughter had withstood the immense pressure. "She is brave, despite racist and sexist attacks aimed at breaking her," she said, according to the AP news agency on Algerian television.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confronted the controversy surrounding Lin Yu-Ting and Imane Khelif's eligibility, ruling their exclusion from the IBA as a "random decision without proper procedure." The IOC President, Thomas Bach, affirmatively declared, "There was never any doubt that they are women."
In the wake of the IOC's decision, various human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, voiced their support for Lin and Khelif.
