Bulgarian fighter stokes controversy with gesture after loss to Olympian who failed gender test

Debate over the biological sex of a boxer who won a women's match at the Olympic Games is sweeping the globe. Here's what Americans have to say about the issue.

Bulgarian Olympic boxer Svetlana Staneva appeared to add fuel to the gender eligibility firestorm on Sunday after a loss to Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting in the women’s 57-kilogram division.

Staneva lost to Lin via unanimous decision. Lin will move to the semifinals and is guaranteed at least a bronze medal in the Paris Olympics.

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Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, left, fights Bulgaria's Svetlana Staneva at the Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

The Taiwanese boxer has been at the center of a gender eligibility controversy. The International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified Lin from the 2023 world championships. The IBA president said at the time Lin tested positive for "XY chromosomes." The IBA has defended its decision, saying Lin was among the boxers who had an unfair advantage.

With controversy swirling, Staneva appeared to add to it with a gesture following the loss. Staneva was seen pointing to herself and making an "X" with her fingers. Olympic fans suggested Staneva was signaling a double "X" to show she had XX chromosomes and signifying she’s a woman.

The Daily Mail and other social media users caught Staneva’s gesture.

FORMER OLYMPIAN SAYS BOXERS AT THE CENTER OF GENDER ELIGIBILITY CONTROVERSY ‘DO NOT DESERVE THIS MISTREATMENT’

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has defended Lin’s and Algerian Imane Khelif’s participation in the women’s boxing event. IOC president Thomas Bach said the scrutiny around their gender eligibility is paramount to "hate speech."

Svetlana