The Breitbart News reported on May 9 that a former Olympic weightlifter claims that female athletes were told to “keep quiet” ahead of the Olympic debut of transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand.
Hubbard is a 43-year-old biological male who competes as a woman. If Hubbard passes the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s (NZOC) fitness and performance standards, he will be the first transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics.
New Zealand’s former Olympic women’s weightlifter, Tracey Lambrechs, has expressed disappointment at the prospect of Hubbard taking away the opportunity for women to compete. She told Television New Zealand (TVNZ), “I’ve had female lifters come to me and say, ‘What do we do? It’s not fair’ and unfortunately there’s nothing we can do because every time we make a comment we’re told to keep quiet.”
Hubbard, who previously competed in men’s weightlifting, began the gender reassignment process in 2013. Since 2015, Hubbard has been eligible to compete in the women’s Olympic Games because the IOC issued guidelines that allow any transgender athlete to compete as a woman as long as their testosterone levels were below 10 nanomoles per liter in the year prior to their first competition.
Many scientists have criticized this standard, arguing that testosterone levels, do not mitigate the biological advantages, including bone and muscle density, that people who have experienced male puberty have.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said it is currently reviewing the policy on the basis of inclusiveness and fairness.
Although Hubbard has not been officially given the green light to compete in the Olympics, New Zealand weightlifting coach Simon Kent said Hubbard meets the International Weightlifting Federation’s criteria and eligibility.
Australia tried unsuccessfully to prevent Hubbard from competing at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2008. However, Hubbard, who was competing, was seriously injured at this Commonwealth Games.
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