Bulgaria's Svetlana Staneva Seeks Clarity on Women's Boxing Rules After Controversial Olympic Defeat

Bulgarian boxer Svetlana Staneva expressed satisfaction with her performance at the Paris Olympics but voiced confusion over the circumstances that led to her loss against Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting. Staneva, competing in the women's 57kg category, was eliminated in the quarterfinals by unanimous decision. She faced Lin, whom the International Boxing Association (IBA) has ruled ineligible for the women's tournament due to a disqualification last year for testing positive for male sex chromosomes.

Upon her return to Bulgaria, Staneva addressed the media at Sofia Airport, expressing disappointment with suggestions of accepting a consolation prize from the world federation, stating that she would have preferred to receive the medal if it was offered. Staneva emphasized her contentment with how she handled the match, sticking to her tactics and maintaining her composure throughout the fight. She made an "X" sign with her hands post-fight, indicating that only those with an X-chromosome should compete in the women's division. She confirmed she did not interact with the Taiwanese boxer before or after the bout.

Staneva praised her head coach, Borislav Georgiev, for his support and belief in her abilities, noting her trust in his preparation and tactics. When questioned about the possibility of being caught in the conflict between the IBA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), she suggested that might be the case but preferred not to engage in political discussions.

Following her match, Staneva focused on personal recovery, spending time with her family and avoiding further discussion of the fight with fellow boxers. She acknowledged that the pre-fight controversies had likely affected her mentally, acknowledging the challenges of maintaining focus...