The boxers at the centre of a heated gender debate have secured Olympic medals. One day after Algeria’s Imane Khelif, Lin Yu-Ting from Taiwan also made it to the semi-finals of the tournament. Both athletes, whose fights are accompanied by a highly emotional controversy over their right to compete in the Paris Summer Games, are thus guaranteed at least bronze.

Lin (28) defeated Bulgarian Svetlana Staneva by unanimous decision in her quarterfinal in the weight class up to 57 kg. Staneva’s trainer Borislav Georgiev was afterwards “outraged by the fair that is being held here”. In his opinion, it was “predestined” that Lin and Khelif should become Olympic champions. According to Bulgarian media, in the interview zone he held a piece of paper in his hands with the inscription: “I am XX! Save women’s sport!” Women typically have two X chromosomes (XX), men in most cases have one X and one Y chromosome (XY).

Sudden worldwide interest in women’s boxing

Even more emotional scenes took place in the boxing hall after Khelif made it to the semi-finals on Saturday. The welterweight was cheered by numerous Algerian fans in the hall when she won a unanimous decision against the Hungarian Anna Luca Hamori. After the verdict was announced, the 25-year-old slammed her hand on the ring floor with full force, saluted and burst into tears.

“This is a question of dignity and honor for every woman,” Khelif said on beIN Sports. She had been wronged, “but I have God. Allah Akbar.” She was then taken to the changing room by her carers, wrapped in an Algerian national flag. Hundreds of media representatives waited in vain for the athlete to make a statement.

After Khelif’s opening victory after just 46 seconds by technical knockout against the Italian Angela Carini, the right of the Algerian and Lin to start was questioned by some quarters – including right-wing conservative politicians such as Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US presidential candidate Donald Trump. Both boxers were excluded after tests that have not yet been explained in detail by the IBA, which is no longer recognized by the International Olympic Committee. According to the IBA, both did not meet the required participation criteria and had “competitive advantages compared to other female participants.”

The IOC called it an “arbitrary decision without due process” and allowed Lin and Khelif to compete 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 female athletes.

Hate and support

Lin and Khelif were attacked online, and Lin says she avoids social media. But they also received support. Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and ILGA World supported the two athletes. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune congratulated Khelif on the online platform X: “You have honored Algeria, Algerian women and Algerian boxing. We will stand by your side, no matter what your results are.”

Khelif’s mother Irene also reacted with pride that her daughter had withstood the enormous pressure. “She is brave, despite racist and sexist attacks that are meant to break her,” she said on Algerian television, according to the AP news agency.