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Andrea Thompson from Britain has been declared the world’s strongest woman after it was revealed that the original winner of the competition was a transgender athlete who was deemed ineligible to participate. The event took place in Arlington, Texas, from November 20 to 23, and two days after its conclusion, Thompson, aged 43, was officially named the champion by Strongman, the event’s organizing body.
Strongman enforces a strict rule that competitors must compete in categories corresponding to their biological sex as recorded at birth. Initially, Thompson had finished in second place behind the American winner in the Woman’s Open division, following six weightlifting challenges. However, after discovering that the initial winner was “biologically male” and now identifies as female, officials disqualified the athlete in question. Strongman stated that their team had been “unaware” of the competitor’s transgender status during the event.
In a public statement, Strongman emphasized that if the athlete’s status had been made known before or during the competition, participation in the Woman’s Open category would not have been permitted. The organization affirmed its commitment to fairness by ensuring all athletes are placed in divisions based on their biological sex at birth. Thompson, who first won the world’s strongest woman title in 2018, expressed mixed feelings about her victory. She acknowledged that the way the title was awarded diminished the significance of the achievement but praised Strongman for quickly addressing and correcting the situation.
Thompson, hailing from Suffolk, addressed the public on her Instagram account, highlighting the disappointment caused by dishonesty in the sport and the impact it had on female competitors who lost their chance to shine. She also mentioned the mental toll on herself and other athletes, who have faced backlash and insults since the ruling. Thompson described the ordeal as “the most exhausting experience” of her career and called on the community to unite in protecting women’s sports, which they have worked hard to defend
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