Taiwan's Yu-ting beats Staneva to ensure medal

PARIS : Lin Yu-ting beat Svetlana Kamenova Staneva of Bulgaria by a unanimous decision in a featherweight quarter-final fight on Sunday to ensure Taiwan's third boxing medal at the Paris Olympics.

Lin and Algerian Imane Khelif have been at the centre of a social media storm at the Paris Games due to them being disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after falling foul of unspecified International Boxing Association's gender eligibility rules.

The boxing tournament in Paris is being organised by the International Olympic Committee, which stripped the IBA of international recognition in 2023 over governance and finance issues.

IOC president Thomas Bach on Saturday said there "was never any doubt" that Lin and Khelif were women who had every rightto compete at the Paris Olympics.

On Friday, the Bulgarian Olympic Committee said it had voiced its concerns over their presence at the tournament during a meeting with the IOC's Medical and Scientific Commission on July 27.

Lin, the taller boxer, attempted to sit back and let her opponent come to her in the first round, a strategy which had mixed results as she was struck with a few big shots.

In the second round, double world champion Lin was more direct and took the fight to Staneva, who showcased her frustration by grappling Lin and pushing her onto the canvas.

Lin once again found herself on the floor when she was accidentally tripped by Staneva, who held the ropes open for the Taiwanese boxer to exit the ring at the end of the fight.

Lin, who will face Turkey's Esra Yildiz in the semi-finals, is assured of a medal, adding to compatriots Wu Shih-yi and Chen Nien-chin efforts from Saturday.