POLLO boxer Lin Yu-Ting cruised to a comprehensive points victory in her Olympic opener – without the extreme controversy of Thursday’s stoppage by Algeria’s Imana Khelif.
Both Lin and Khelif were disqualified from last year’s World Championships in New Delhi after failing a gender eligibility test – but have been given the go-ahead by the IOC to compete in Paris.
11
Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting beat Uzbekistan’s Sitora TurdibekovaCredit: AP
11
Lin Yu-ting was in action in ParisCredit: PA
11
Turdibekova appears to have left the ring in tears Credit: BBC
11
Lin entered the ring against Uzbekistan’s Sitora TurdibekovaCredit: Reuters
And Khelif sparked a global debate when her Italian opponent Angela Carini retired after 46 seconds of their welterweight bout.
There was no such acrimonious disagreement between 28-year-old featherweight Lin and Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova – despite Lin winning all three rounds, two of them by unanimous decision – although her opponent appeared to leave the ring in tears.
Lin has been defeated 14 times in her career and only scored one knockout in 54 fights.
Like Khelif, Lin was disqualified from last year’s World Cup in New Delhi after failing an unspecified gender test.
The 2023 World Championship was organized by the International Boxing Association (IBA), led by Russia.
With the disgraced IBA no longer recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as boxing’s world governing body, Khelif and Lin have been allowed to compete in Paris 2024.
The IBA did not clarify why both fighters failed the gender test, which led to Lin being stripped of her bronze medal at last year’s World Championships.
However, they confirmed that none had been tested for testosterone.
11
Turdibekova was defeated by unanimous decision Credit: Reuters
11
Lin Yu-ting was also in action at Tokyo 2020. Credit: AFP
11
Lin, 28, poses with his 2022 Asian Games gold medal Credit: AFP
11
Lin is a former women’s world champion Credit: instagram @boxing_ting
Neither Khelif nor Lin identify as transgender or intersex.
But the former’s victory over Angela Carini caused a big reaction.
The six craziest Olympic stories
The fight ended just 46 seconds into the first round, after Carini took two punches to the face.
After abruptly ending the contest, the Italian refused to acknowledge her opponent before falling to her knees in tears.
Later, speaking in Italian, Carini revealed that she had “never felt such a blow”.
She added that she was there to “honour my father and represent my country” – and that she felt “heartbroken”.
11
Imane Khelif defeated Angela Carini yesterdayCredit: Getty
11
Carini, 25, was in tears after the fightCredit: EPA
11
The Italian continued to cry in her post-fight interviewCredit: Twitter
‘I COULDN’T BREATHE ANYMORE’
Carini then revealed: “After the second (blow) I couldn’t breathe anymore.
“I went to my coach and said ‘enough’ because it takes maturity and courage to quit. I couldn’t fight anymore.”
Her coach added: “I don’t know if her nose is broken. I have to talk to the girl. But many people in Italy tried to call her and tell her: ‘Don’t go, please: it’s a man, it’s dangerous for you.’
Ahead of the competition, the Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) defended its athlete’s participation.
Their statement read: “The COA strongly condemns the unethical targeting and defamation of our esteemed athlete, Imana Khelif, by baseless propaganda by certain foreign media.”
It continued: “Such attacks on her personality and dignity are deeply unfair, especially as she prepares for the pinnacle of her career at the Olympics.
“The COA has taken all necessary measures to protect our champion.”
The IOC also released a statement addressing the controversy.
It said: “These two athletes were victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA.
“Towards the end of the 2023 IBA World Championship, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process.
“According to the IBA’s minutes available on their website, this decision was originally taken solely by the IBA General Secretary and Executive Director.”
They further added: “The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was made without any due process, especially considering that these athletes have been competing at the highest level for many years.
“The IOC is saddened by the abuses currently being suffered by two athletes. Every person has the right to play sports without discrimination.”
Piers Morgan has an opinion
This is a more complex case than the series of embarrassing transgender scandals that have engulfed women’s sports in recent years.
Khelif reportedly has a condition called Swyer syndrome which means he has some female reproductive organs, but also much higher levels of testosterone than women.
As a result, she has a superior physicality compared to females, which can be seen in her tall, strong frame.
In other words, she has an unfair advantage.
And that’s why there was such a furious response, led by JK Rowling, Elon Musk and Martina Navratilova, to the tapes of Carini’s resignation after being punched in the face.
It is an obvious, indisputable, medical and scientific truth that someone born with male biology of any kind has a clear physical advantage over biological females.
That’s why we keep the sexes separate at the Olympics.
Otherwise, women would barely win a single medal.
To pretend otherwise is to be completely deluded or deliberately dishonest.
*Read Piers Morgan’s full article on Imane Khelif…
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education