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A British athlete crowned the planet's most powerful female claims she was robbed of her winning moment after it emerged the initial winner was a trans female who was ineligible to compete.

Andrea Thompson was awarded the championship retrospectively after US competitor the disqualified contestant was disqualified.

Thompson told athletic press the competition, held in the Texas city of Arlington, was overshadowed by somebody who wasn't eligible to participate.

"I felt extremely disappointed and angry with what she's done," she stated. "She lied and was very deceptive, and deprived a lot of things from a lot of female athletes.

"The competitor that finished 11th was denied the opportunity to do the final day... to have the top 10 status in the world."

Event coordinators, the competition body, said "participants could only compete in the division for their birth sex recorded at birth", and that they had eliminated the athlete in question "who was biologically male."

Competition Background

Records show the disqualified athlete took part in at least two other strongwoman events this season - taking first place at the Washington competition in June and placing runner-up at the continental championship in July.

Sports media could not contact the athlete and the organization confirmed "an attempt had been made to contact the athlete... but a response had not been obtained."

The champion, 43, ultimately became the world's strongest woman for the second occasion, having earlier claimed the championship in two thousand eighteen.

But it was only after this season's competition concluded that she discovered her rival had been ineligible to participate.

"There was no indication at all during the event - nobody had any cause to question anything," said the parent from Suffolk.

"It happened about six hours after that the first rumours started circulating, and then the organisers contacted me.

"It's a massive achievement that's been marred by some deception."

Event Details

Strength contests have no unified governing body, rather, independent groups run a variety of events.

The Global Female Strength title is presented at the Official Strongman Games, run by a British company.

More than 400 competitors from approximately forty nations participated in this season's competition, which organisers characterize as "among the highest points of the strength world."

The Games featured events across various gender, body mass and age categories.

Thompson and Booker were in the Women's Open division and participated in six events over multiple days, including the log press, frame carrying and deadlift ladder.

Rules and Qualifications

A statement from the organization stated: "Competitors are placed to men's or female categories based on whether they are registered as male or woman at birth.

"Evidence suggests that an competitor who is male by birth and who currently self-identifies as female participated in the Women's Open division... officials were unaware of this situation ahead of the competition."

In twenty twenty-three, Texas enacted a law prohibiting "biological men from participating with female athletes", although this only applies to higher education sport in the region.

The champion believes female strength competitions may introduce sex screening in the coming years.

"I suppose it's going to have to proceed along that path... but our discipline is still relatively recent. There's insufficient money in it to have these things in operation. We rely on the honesty of the athletes."

Broader Athletic Landscape

In the past few seasons, a growing number of sports federations have prohibited athletes who have experienced male puberty from participating in elite female competition, amid apprehensions over equity and protection, including international swimming and athletics organizations.

In May, major British sports bodies were among a number of institutions to follow suit, after the UK Supreme Court's decision that the legal definition of a female is based on birth sex.

The moves have been opposed by transgender advocacy activists, who argue they could violate individual freedoms and insist inclusion should be prioritised.

Both global track and field and pugilism organizations implemented chromosomal testing this year, claiming it is needed to protect the integrity of female sports.

A representative from the global track organization has claimed that between 50 and 60 athletes who went through male puberty have been top placers in the women's division in international and regional athletics competitions since the year two thousand.