sz. BREAKING NEWS: The IPC has also banned transgender athletes from female competitions at the Paralympics in a bid to protect women’s sport, similar to what the Olympics did. Valentina Petrillo also left a comment
In a seismic shift for global sports, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced a blanket ban on transgender women competing in female categories at future Paralympic Games.
This decision, revealed on November 20, 2025, mirrors recent reforms by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which in October 2025 prohibited transgender athletes from elite women’s events to safeguard fairness.
The IPC’s move, effective immediately for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, cites “irreversible physiological advantages” from male puberty as the core rationale.
IPC President Andrew Parsons, who previously opposed “blanket solutions,” cited mounting scientific evidence and athlete feedback in a press conference. “We must prioritize equity in para-athletics, where physical parity is already challenged by disabilities,” Parsons stated.
The policy requires eligibility based on biological sex at birth, verified through medical documentation, excluding those who transitioned after puberty.
This comes amid intense scrutiny following the 2024 Paris Paralympics, where Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo’s participation ignited global debate. Petrillo, 52, became the first openly transgender Paralympian, competing in T12 events for visually impaired athletes.
Her bronze medals at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships had already sparked petitions from over 30 Italian athletes demanding her exclusion.
Born Fabrizio Petrillo in 1973, she was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease at 14, causing progressive vision loss. As a male athlete, she secured 11 national titles between 2015 and 2018.
Transitioning in 2019 with hormone therapy, Petrillo reported reduced strength but maintained eligibility under World Para Athletics (WPA) rules, which allowed legally recognized women to compete.
Her Paris debut drew cheers from inclusion advocates but fierce backlash from women’s rights groups. Critics, including Olympic medalist Sharron Davies, labeled it “unfair play,” arguing hormone suppression doesn’t erase male skeletal advantages like larger hearts and lungs. A 2024 petition to Italy’s Athletics Federation failed, but it amplified calls for IPC reform.
Petrillo’s 400m semi-final run, where she finished third and missed the final, was emotional. Tearfully, she told reporters, “My opponents were stronger today, but this is history realized.” She hoped her son would be proud, emphasizing her journey as a symbol against transphobia. Yet, Venezuelan officials decried it as a “terrible inequality” disadvantaging cisgender women.
The IOC’s earlier pivot set the stage. In 2021, both bodies devolved rules to individual federations, leading to patchwork policies. World Athletics banned post-puberty transitions in 2023, followed by cycling and swimming.
By 2025, IOC President Thomas Bach, under pressure from lawsuits and athlete boycotts, endorsed a universal ban for women’s elite sports, framing it as “protecting the female category’s integrity.”
Data from a 2025 University of Loughborough study bolstered this: Transgender women retained 9-12% strength edges post-therapy, skewing para-events where margins are razor-thin.
In T12 sprints, for instance, Petrillo’s times, while slower than her male peak, outpaced many cisgender competitors by seconds—gaps that decide podiums.
Inclusion advocates decry the bans as discriminatory. GLAAD’s 2024 fact sheet highlighted Petrillo’s story as progress, noting only two transgender Paralympians ever: her and the late Ingrid van Kranen, a Dutch discus thrower at Rio 2016. “Excluding trans athletes ignores their humanity,” said GLAAD spokesperson Sarah Kate Ellis. LGBT groups argue for open categories or testosterone caps, citing insufficient research on para-specific impacts.
On X (formerly Twitter), reactions exploded. The Women’s Rights Network posted: “Paralympics lagged behind—Petrillo raced young women half her age.
Time for fairness!” garnering 948 likes. Philosopher Jon Pike tweeted: “IOC policy allowed males in female categories; this fixes it without excuses.” Petrillo herself commented on X late yesterday: “This ban erases our fight for visibility. I’ve lost everything to compete—now they take my track too. But trans lives matter beyond medals.”
Her words, posted under @ValPetrilloOfficial, amassed 5,000 retweets overnight, blending support with vitriol. “You’re a pioneer, Valentina—keep running,” one fan wrote, while detractors echoed J.K. Rowling’s 2024 critique: “Inclusion can’t cheat biology.”
Historically, transgender inclusion in sports traces to the IOC’s 2004 Stockholm consensus, requiring surgery and low testosterone. Evolving science—studies showing persistent advantages in bone density and VO2 max—eroded that. The 2021 framework shifted to “no presumption of advantage,” but real-world cases like Lia Thomas in swimming (2022 NCAA) and Petrillo exposed flaws.
Para-sports add layers: Classifications like T12 guide visually impaired athletes via tappers, where split-second edges amplify. Petrillo’s guide, a cisgender woman, navigated controversies, telling BBC Sport: “She’s family now, but fairness questions linger.” Lawyer Mariuccia Quilleri, who petitioned against her in 2021, welcomed the ban: “Inclusion chose Petrillo over equity—now justice prevails.”
Globally, the ripple effects are profound. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee aligned in July 2025, barring transgender women from women’s teams. Australia and Canada followed, citing safety in contact sports. Critics fear a “chilling effect” on youth participation; a 2025 Stonewall survey found 40% of trans teens avoiding sports post-reforms.
Yet proponents, including 2024 gold medalist Oksana Boturchuk, applaud: “I respect trans people, but not in my race.” Boturchuk, who beat Petrillo in Paris, joined calls for sex-testing, arguing it honors the Paralympics’ ethos of overcoming barriers—without artificial ones.
Petrillo’s post-ban reflection underscores the human toll. “I ran for my daughter, who sees me as unbreakable. Bans break spirits, not rules,” she wrote. Her story, from Naples factory worker to Paralympic trailblazer, embodies resilience amid rejection. In 2020, she debuted in women’s events, setting T12 records despite threats that forced her 2023 withdrawal from masters championships.
As 2028 approaches, the IPC plans “open” divisions for transgender athletes, though details are vague. Parsons emphasized dialogue: “We’re not closing doors—we’re building fair rooms.” World Para Athletics must now align, potentially scrapping its “legal recognition” clause.
This era’s end for transgender women in female para-events closes a fraught chapter but opens debates on belonging. Sports psychologist Ross Tucker, who consulted the IPC, notes: “Fairness isn’t prejudice; it’s physics.” For Petrillo, it’s personal: “Medals fade—dignity endures.”
The ban’s timing, post-IOC, signals unity in elite governance. GB News reported women’s campaigners urging Paralympics to “catch up,” recalling Petrillo’s “male-bodied” edge. On X, @sharrond62 vented: “Mediocre males in women’s spaces? No more.”
Looking ahead, advocacy shifts to grassroots. Trans athlete support networks push for non-competitive outlets, while federations train officials on sensitivity. A 2025 IPC survey revealed 68% of para-athletes favor sex-based categories, up from 52% in 2023.
Petrillo vows to coach: “I’ll guide the next generation—trans or not—to their truths.” Her Paris semis, under Stade de France lights, weren’t just races; they were reckonings. As bans take hold, her legacy lingers: a sprinter who outran doubt, even if the finish line moved.
In para-sports’ spirit—where wheelchairs fly and prosthetics propel—these policies aim to level fields born uneven. But at what cost to souls like Petrillo’s? The Games endure, medals gleam, yet the real race is for a world where every athlete crosses included.
“I WON THE TITLE, BUT I LOST THE MOMENT” Andrea Thompson admitted that she was not very happy when the title of “World’s Strongest Woman” was stolen by a big man pretending to be a woman. She criticized the organizers for tolerating his actions. Immediately after the speech, the organizers immediately made a move that caused all sports fans around the world to explode.
In the high-stakes world of strongwoman competitions, where raw power meets unyielding determination, few events carry the prestige of the Official Strongman Games World Championships. Held annually in Arlington, Texas, the 2025 edition promised to crown the pinnacle of female strength.
Yet, what unfolded over four grueling days from November 20 to 23 became a flashpoint for one of the most heated debates in modern sports: the intersection of gender identity, fairness, and athletic integrity.
At the center of this storm stands Andrea Thompson, the 43-year-old British powerhouse from Suffolk, who has now etched her name into history as a two-time World’s Strongest Woman—albeit through a path marred by controversy, exhaustion, and a fierce stand for women’s sports.
The competition itself was a spectacle of superhuman feats, drawing over 400 athletes from nearly 40 countries across various divisions.
The Women’s Open category, the crown jewel for elite strongwomen, featured ten competitors battling through six punishing events: the Log Press Challenge, Deadlift Ladder, Timber Carry, Sandbag Throw, Circus Dumbbell Ladder, and a final Atlas Stone series. These aren’t mere lifts; they’re tests of explosive power, endurance, and mental fortitude.
Athletes hoisted logs weighing up to 250 pounds (113.5 kg) overhead for reps, deadlifted bars escalating to 600 pounds (272 kg), and hauled massive timber frames across arenas while crowds roared.
The air in Globe Life Field crackled with anticipation, but beneath the cheers lurked an unforeseen scandal that would overshadow the entire event.
Initially, it was American newcomer Jammie Booker who emerged victorious, edging out Thompson by a razor-thin margin of one point.
Booker, a towering figure at 6’2″ and over 200 pounds, dominated key events like the Sandbag Throw and Atlas Stones, showcasing a blend of technique and brute force that propelled her to the top.
The podium ceremony unfolded live on streams watched by thousands, with Booker hoisting the trophy amid confetti and applause. But for Thompson, who had led much of the competition—winning the Log Press, Deadlift Ladder, and Circus Dumbbell with her signature precision—the moment soured instantly.
Cameras captured her visible dismay as she stepped down from the podium, muttering a now-iconic three-word protest: “This is bullshit.” It wasn’t just frustration; it was a raw, unfiltered cry against what she and others perceived as an erosion of the very foundations of women’s athletics.
The backlash erupted almost immediately. Social media ignited with outrage from fans, fellow competitors, and prominent figures in the strength world.
Mitchell Hooper, the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, posted on Instagram: “Congratulations to @andreathompson_strongwoman on a champion’s performance this weekend at World’s Strongest Woman.” Three-time champion Rebecca Roberts echoed the sentiment, revealing that neither athletes nor organizers had any prior knowledge of Booker’s transgender status.
“We welcomed her as a new face in our crazy sport,” Roberts said in a statement that resonated widely. Thompson’s coach, Laurence Shahlaei, was even more direct: “I love this sport. I have given my life to it. And I won’t ignore something that could quietly change it forever.
Congratulations to @andreathompson_strongwoman… the true World’s Strongest Woman 2025.” Thompson herself liked the post, a subtle but powerful endorsement.
As videos of the podium walk-off went viral—amassing millions of views on platforms like X (formerly Twitter)—questions flooded in.
Who was Jammie Booker? Records showed she had competed in at least two prior women’s events in 2025: winning the Rainier Classic in June and placing second at North America’s Strongest Woman in July.
But deeper scrutiny uncovered old footage and personal history indicating Booker was born male, a fact not disclosed during registration. Official Strongman, the UK-based governing body, launched an urgent investigation.
Their rules are unequivocal: “Competitors can only compete in the category for the biological sex recorded at birth.” On November 25, just two days after the event, they issued a bombshell statement: “It appears that an athlete who is biologically male and who now identifies as female competed in the Women’s Open category.
Official Strongman officials were unaware of this fact ahead of the competition… Had we been aware, this athlete would not have been permitted to compete.”
The disqualification was swift and total. Booker’s points were nullified, her title revoked, and the leaderboard reshuffled. Andrea Thompson, with her three event wins, one second place, and consistent top finishes, was retroactively crowned the 2025 World’s Strongest Woman—her second such honor after 2018.
Other athletes, like third-place finisher Jackie, saw their standings elevated, restoring some semblance of order. Organizers expressed profound disappointment: “We are clear on our policy to ensure fairness…
All athlete points and places will be altered accordingly to ensure that the rightful places are allocated to each of the Women’s Open athletes.” Attempts to reach Booker for comment went unanswered, leaving her side of the story untold amid the frenzy.
For Thompson, the victory rang hollow at first. In a heartfelt Instagram post on November 26, she poured out her emotions: “What should have been a momentous occasion was overshadowed by scandal and dishonesty from someone who was welcomed into our crazy sport.
Not only am I disappointed that I can’t celebrate my victory, but that the women who had the opportunity to shine on the podium or make it to the finals were robbed of it.” Speaking to BBC Sport, she elaborated on the personal toll: “This has been the most grueling experience of my career…
We, as a community, are taking a stand. Protecting women’s sport as we have fought so hard for.” At 43, a mother of two from the quiet town of Melton, Suffolk, Thompson embodies resilience.
Her journey to the top wasn’t handed to her; it’s built on years of grinding in gyms, balancing family life with 20-hour training weeks, and overcoming injuries that sidelined her for months.
Her 2018 win came after a deadlift world record of 272 kg, a mark she reaffirmed in Texas with a flawless performance that saw her as the only woman to complete the max-weight pull.
The scandal’s ripple effects extended far beyond the arena, reigniting global conversations on transgender participation in sports. Pundits like Piers Morgan weighed in on X, sarcastically congratulating Booker before pivoting to praise Thompson as the “rightful” champion.
Conservative outlets like Fox News hailed the decision as a “win for fairness,” while progressive voices urged nuance, emphasizing inclusion without erasure.
Hailey Sikman and Jade Dickens, two American competitors who unknowingly faced Booker, opened up to media about the shock: “We thought it was just another tough event, but it felt off—her strength was undeniable, but so was the sense that something wasn’t right.” Data from sports science underscores the debate: Studies, including those from the Journal of Medical Ethics, highlight persistent physiological advantages in transgender women who transitioned post-puberty, such as greater muscle mass and bone density, even after hormone therapy.
In strength sports, where male-female performance gaps can exceed 30%, these disparities aren’t abstract—they’re measured in missed podiums and shattered dreams.
Yet, Thompson’s response transcended bitterness. In interviews with ITV News Anglia and ESPN, she expressed a desire to “reach out” to Booker, acknowledging the human element: “Every woman is welcome… We just thought this is a new face.” Her hope? That this “exhausting” saga sets a precedent.
“I believe strongwoman events may introduce sex screening in the future,” she told reporters, advocating for transparent policies like those in World Athletics or USA Powerlifting, which require testosterone suppression or chromosomal verification. Official Strongman’s quick rectification—updating archives to list Thompson as winner and removing Booker from results—signals a shift.
As Shahlaei noted, “Sport is sport, and the women’s classes exist for a reason.”
Looking ahead, Thompson’s reclaimed title isn’t just a personal redemption; it’s a beacon for the strongwoman community. With over 800 athletes now eyeing 2026, her story underscores the sport’s evolution—from fringe garage lifts to global spectacles streamed to millions.
Strongwoman has grown exponentially, with women’s participation up 40% since 2020, thanks to trailblazers like Thompson who normalize female power without apology. Her dominance in Texas—nailed reps on the 250-pound log, a sub-minute Dumbbell Ladder—proves she’s not just strong; she’s strategic, adapting mid-event to fatigue and strategy.
As the dust settles, Thompson’s words linger as a call to action: “This needs to stop—the backlash and insults against us women.” In a divided era, her victory reminds us that true strength lies not in controversy, but in the quiet grind of those who lift others up.
Andrea Thompson didn’t just reclaim a title; she fortified a legacy, ensuring the World’s Strongest Woman remains, unequivocally, a celebration of biological female excellence. For the podium she was denied, the future ones will shine brighter—thanks to her unyielding stand.
