Over the past few years, mediocre biological-male athletes have transitioned to female and entered female competitions. With an obvious advantage, they sometimes win. World Athletics has recently recognised and addressed this issue.
The concept of “Self ID” is being adopted in various countries, including New Zealand. After a recent policy change a Canadian man set out to prove how ridiculous self identification is. Avi Silverberg, head coach for Team Canada Powerlifting and vice president of the Alberta Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU), identified as a woman and entered the Heroes Classic tournament in Alberta.
Bearded Avi Silverberg is shown calmly approaching the bench in men’s clothing as part of a protest against gender self-identification policies in sport.
Silverberg then unofficially breaks the female bench press record for the 84+ kilograms women’s category, which was a 270lbs press – officially set by a trans lifter. […]
The Canadian rules allow anybody who self-identifies as a woman to compete in the female category, sparking concerns trans women who’ve gone through male puberty may have a considerable physical advantage over biological female rivals.
The CPU released its ‘trans inclusion policy’ in February which was based on guidance from the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sport.
Silverberg smashed the record set by transgender powerlifter Anne Andres, who has previously mocked women for being ‘so bad’ at bench pressing. […]
The move was apparently designed to protest rules outlined by the Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU) which allows anybody who self-identifies as a woman to compete in the female category.
The Daily Mail
Andres is not happy and has uploaded a number of video responses to Silverberg.
Andres also holds the Alberta women’s record for the deadlift, at 544 pounds – giving her the local record for the total of all three lifts, lifting a combined 1,245 pounds.
The trans lifter won eight of nine competitions entered in the women’s category over the last four years, ICONS said. […]
[I]n one clip, she openly admitted that “maybe my participation isn’t necessarily fair – you know, there’s science, whatever”. […]
“I actually care about women in sport because I AM a woman in sport,” she wrote alongside one video.
New York Post
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