Controversy overshadows Lin Yu-Ting’s semi-final victory over Esra Yildiz Kahraman

TAIWAN’S Lin Yu-Ting qualified for Saturday’s women’s 57kg final after winning her semi-final last night against Turkish opponent Esra Yildiz Kahraman.

Lin will now face Poland’s Julia Szeremeta after she defeated Filipino fighter Nesthy Petecio 4-1.

The 28-year-old has barely put a foot wrong in her route to the final and showed against Kahraman she was a class above by not dropping a single point. Lin’s performances and progress have been somewhat overshadowed after she was plunged into a gender row having failed gender eligibility tests at a competition in India last year.

Lin along with Algeria’s Imane Khelif – who will fight for gold against China’s Yang Liu in the 66kg final tomorrow (August 9) – have faced a torrent of abuse and criticism because of their participation.

The beaten Kahraman caused controversy afterwards when she gestured to the crowd and crossed her fingers. This followed another “X” gesture by Lin’s quarter-final opponent Svetlana Staneva who was also comfortably beaten.

The sign displayed Kahraman and Staneva is believed to be a reference to the XY chromosome, usually found in males, which Lin is accused of having. At last year’s Women’s World Championships in New Delhi both Lin and Khelif tested positive for male XY chromosomes leading the IBA (International Boxing Association) to disqualify them from the event. However, the IOC (Independent Olympic Committee) recognise the two competitors as female.

Both Lin and Khelif were registered female at birth and the latter has a passport as a female. Whatever the results of both finals the row is likely to continue.