Ring Protest: Esra Yildiz Kahraman of Turkey crossed her forefingers twice to make the letters “XX” after losing the fight to Lin. Lin was one of two Olympic boxers who were kicked out of last year’s International Boxing Association world championships because lab tests showed they weren’t allowed to compete in women’s events.
After losing to Lin in the semifinals for women 126 pounds on Sunday, Svetlana Staneva of Bulgaria also gave the “XX” salute in the ring.
Women’s sports supporters were angry that the International Olympic Committee let Lin and Algerian fighter Imane Khelif participate in women’s boxing even though they were disqualified in 2023. This led to the public but quiet protests.
“There is yet another woman who does not attend the Olympic Games.” Another protest. “Enough is enough,” Fair Play for Women said on X.
After unanimously winning their quarterfinal matches at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, Lin and Khelif will both go for gold at the Olympics.
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The IOC has stood by the fighters, calling them “women on their passports” and saying they have met the requirements for their sport to be eligible for the Olympics, which do not include sex tests.
The IBA said in a statement on Monday that the boxers accepted to be tested for gender after “many complaints from coaches.” Lin didn’t question the results, but Khelif did. He first went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but the case was later dropped.
In May 2023, the IBA sent the lab results to the IOC. But a month later, the IOC dropped the IBA as its boxing authority over problems with government, finances, and judges. This means that the IBA has no role in the Paris Olympics.
Not long after the tests, the IBA Board of Directors changed its rules to make it clear that events “will only take place between male athletes and between female athletes.”
An IBA release said, “It was found to be dangerous for the health and safety of the boxers to compete in boxing matches with DSD athletes (‘differences of sexual development’).”
The IOC has said that there is “no transgender issue” with the boxers, which has led to rumors that the athletes have the Difference in Sexual Development known as 46, XY. This means that they were born with unclear genitalia and internal testes, but they went through male puberty and produce testosterone at a male level.
The athletes have not said anything about the gender controversy in public, but in an interview with SNTV on Monday, Khelif told the audience to “stop bullying all athletes” because it “can destroy people.”
Lin, who is 28, is set to compete for the gold medal at Roland Garros on Saturday. Khelif, who is 25, is set to fight on Friday in the 145-pound division.
