Lin Yu-ting, one of two boxers at the center of a gender dispute at the Paris Olympics, has revealed that staying off social media and focusing solely on her sport helped her navigate the intense international scrutiny surrounding her eligibility for the Games. Lin, who clinched the women’s featherweight gold medal on Saturday after defeating Polish opponent Julia Szeremeta, and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif were both caught in a storm of controversy that dominated headlines and sparked heated debates on social media platforms.
The two boxers were initially disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA) from the 2023 World Championships following a sex chromosome test that declared them ineligible. However, they were able to compete in Paris after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped the IBA of its governing authority in 2023 and took control of organizing the boxing events. The IOC applied boxing eligibility rules that were in place for the 2016 and 2021 Olympics, which do not include gender testing.
Lin, a two-time world champion, was overcome with emotion after her victory and shed tears while standing on the podium. Speaking to reporters, she emphasized the importance of shutting herself off from social media and focusing on her performance. “As an elite athlete during the competition, it’s important to shut myself off from social media and to focus. That is extremely important,” she said. “Of course I heard some of the information through my coach, but I didn’t pay too much attention to it. I was invited by the IOC to participate at the Games, this is what I focused on. “As for the other news, I relied on my coach to answer the questions. I just focused on who my competitor would be, I focused on training and being able to bring my A-game when I fought.”
On Saturday, Khelif’s lawyer, Nabil Boudi, announced that the Algerian boxer had filed a formal legal complaint citing online harassment. When asked if she would take similar measures, Lin responded, “This is something I will discuss with my team. We will decide later what the next step will be.”
Reflecting on her emotional victory, Lin, a two-time world champion, shared, “During the fight, I saw images flashing and I thought about the beginning of my career when I started boxing. All the difficult practice sessions, the times I got injured, the competitors I fought against. There were times of great pain, and times of great joy. I cried because I was so touched. I represented Taiwan, I got the gold medal. I want to thank all the people in Taiwan who supported me, from the beginning to the end.”
