TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwanese tennis star Hsieh Su-wei (謝淑薇) took to Facebook on Friday (Aug. 9) to voice her support for boxer Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷), who has been embroiled in a gender controversy. Hsieh urged the Chinese Taipei Boxing Association (CTBA, 中華民國拳擊協會) and the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (CTOC, 中華奧林匹克委員會) to defend athletes' rights.
Lin, competing in the women's 57kg boxing category at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, advanced to the gold medal match despite facing gender-related accusations from her opponents. Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, competing in the 66kg category, also faced similar controversies.
Last year, the International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified both Lin and Khelif from the World Championships, citing failure to pass gender tests but has yet to provide concrete evidence. Hsieh expressed on Facebook that the CTBA should stand up for Lin's rights and dignity, stating, "If I were the chairman of the association, protecting our athletes would also be my responsibility."
On Friday, the Sports Administration (體育署) also issued a statement revealing that during the Games, they facilitated multiple meetings between the CTOC and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to secure firm support for Lin. The administration plans to discuss further legal actions against the IBA with athletes, lawyers, and the IOC after the competition.
Lin's match is scheduled for 3:30 a.m. Sunday, Taiwan time. Supporters hope her outstanding performance will help her clinch the gold and dispel the rumors.
