The International Olympic Committee (IOC) cleared the way Saturday for New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, a man competing as a woman, to participate in the Tokyo Olympics. …
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) cleared the way Saturday for New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, a man competing as a woman, to participate in the Tokyo Olympics. Hubbard will be the first transgender athlete to compete in the Olympic games. “The rules for qualification have been established by the International Weightlifting Federation before the qualifications started,” IOC chief Thomas Bach said via Reuters. “These rules apply, and you cannot change rules during ongoing competitions.” Bach stipulated, however, that the IOC will review the rules allowing Hubbard to compete at the Olympics. “The IOC is in an inquiry phase with all different stakeholders… to review these rules and finally to come up with some guidelines, which cannot be rules because this is a question where there is no one-size-fits-all solution,” he explained. “It differs from sport to sport.” Hubbard’s inclusion has not come without protest, both from athletes and the public. Much of the criticism has centered on the fact that, despite the IOC’s testosterone rules and other provisions currently in place, trans women (biological males) still retain significant biological advantages.
