OLYMPICS/Lin Yu-ting triumphs despite 'malicious attacks': President Lai

Taipei, Aug. 11 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) congratulated boxer Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) on Sunday for winning Taiwan's first-ever Olympic boxing gold medal despite facing "malicious attacks" from the International Boxing Association (IBA).

In a Facebook post, Lai highlighted the widespread excitement across the nation after Lin's victory in the women's 57-kilogram division at the Paris Olympics on Saturday (Paris time). Many Taiwanese "stayed up late" to watch Lin's match, he said.

"I believe all of us in Taiwan are as thrilled as I am, and we are proud of Lin Yu-ting," Lai wrote.

Lin, 28, defeated Julia Szeremeta of Poland by a 5-0 unanimous decision to clinch the gold in the featherweight division, marking a major improvement on her previous early exit from the Tokyo Games three years ago.

The president of Taiwan said Lin faced a series of "malicious attacks" from the IBA even before the Games began, which he said put Lin under greater pressure compared with other athletes.

But people from all corners of Taiwan, including the government and private sectors, and across the political spectrum, united in supporting Lin and countering disinformation and "false rumors" aimed at her, Lai noted.

"Lin Yu-ting, you are truly remarkable!" Lai wrote.

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) also congratulated Lin for her victory. "Thank you for making Taiwan proud with your strength," she wrote on her Facebook page.

Lin and Imane Khelif of Algeria have been engulfed in a controversy over their gender status during this year's Olympic Games as tensions between the IBA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) intensified.

The IBA was suspended from running the Olympic boxing competition in 2019 and permanently stripped of its Olympic credentials in 2023 because of its troubled governance and lack of transparency.

But that did not stop the discredited boxing association from accusing Lin and Khelif of being unfit to compete in the women's boxing event.

The IOC described the two boxers as "victims of sudden and arbitrary decisions by the IBA" and over the past two weeks repeatedly affirmed Lin and Khelif's eligibility for the Games on the basis that they hold passports stating they are female and have identified as female since birth.

Addressing the gender controversy after winning gold, Lin said, "As a top athlete, it is crucial to stay focused on the game. All I need to know is who my opponent is and how to prepare for the next match."