The New Zealand weightlifter entered competition on Monday. His participation caused a lot of noise and divides both fans and athletes.
Regardless of her result on Monday, Laurel Hubbard was sure to make history. First because at the height of her 43 years, she is the oldest weightlifter to participate in the 2021 Olympics. But above all because when she entered the Tokyo International Forum, the New Zealander became the first woman transgender to compete in the Olympics.
Symbol of the enormous attention that its entry into competition arouses, many journalists were accredited to attend its passage, while the event does not generally attract crowds.
Assigned male at birth, Laurel Hubbard took part in men’s competitions before beginning a transition process towards her 30 years. She subsequently became selectable in women after meeting the International Olympic Committee (IOC) criteria for transgender athletes, namely having testosterone levels below 10 nanomoles per liter of blood. “Laurel Hubbard is a woman and competes under the rules of her federation. We must pay tribute to his courage and tenacity ”, IOC Medical Director Richard Budgett told reporters in Tokyo.
Victory for inclusiveness or unfair advantage?
However, her participation in the women’s category over 87 kg is not viewed very favorably by everyone. His presence in Tokyo sparked a complex debate on questions of bioethics, human rights, science, equity and identity in sport.
Hubbard supporters believe that qualifying for the Olympics represents a victory for inclusiveness and the rights of transgender people. But others see her as having an unfair advantage over her female rivals due to physical abilities inherited from decades as a man.
Some advocates of women’s sport, including former tennis champion Martina Navrátilová, have expressed reservations as they believe the inclusion of transgender sportswomen risks challenging hard-won victories to improve the status of women’s sport. “I’m happy to speak to a transgender person the way they want, but I wouldn’t like to have to compete against them. It wouldn’t be fair ”, said the Czech, yet an early activist for gay rights.
Opponents also fear that the participation of transgender women could jeopardize the safety of other competitors in contact sports, prompting the international rugby federation to exclude them from all competitions last year. To justify its decision, World Rugby cited scientific studies showing that men had 30% more physical strength compared to women.
Petition to ban his participation
Among other benefits, Alison Heather, a physiologist at the University of Otago interviewed by AFP, cites longer limbs for men, larger muscle mass, larger heart and larger lung capacity, which allows better oxygen circulation and greater endurance. But for Richard Budgett, the IOC’s medical director, it’s not that simple to compare men and women, and transgender women can experience a drop in performance as they go through a transition process. He adds that more research is needed, although “The risk for women’s sport has probably been overestimated”.
Laurel Hubbard’s participation is also very popular on social networks. Some take his defense when others mock or insult with impunity the athlete who has not asked for anything. A petition was even recently created on change.org, asking the IOC to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s events, before being withdrawn for “Hate speech”.
In Tokyo, the New Zealander finished last in the over 87 kg category after failing to lift 125 kg. But despite everything, this day will remain a victory for her.
Update : at 3:30 p.m. after the sporting event.
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