Taiwan leaders back boxer in Olympic gender row

FILE PHOTO: Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Boxing - Women's Featherweight - Last 16 - - Tokyo, Japan - July 26, 2021. Nesthy Petecio of the Philippines in action against Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino/File Photo

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's presidential office and former president on Friday expressed support for Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting who has been embroiled in a row over gender at the Paris Olympic Games ahead of her opening bout.

"Let's cheer for Lin Yu-ting together," wrote Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's first female president, who ran the island between 2016 and 2024, on her official Facebook page, adding that Lin was seeking victory for herself and honour for Taiwan.