New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard has not yet been selected but has reached all the requirements required for a possible Olympic ticket.

Lambrechs, who competed for New Zealand at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, does not think that is right.

- We are all for equality for women in sports, but right now that equality is being taken away from us, Lambrechs says to the TV channel TVNZ.

Hubbard was born in a male body but performed a gender reassignment in 2013. Before that, she competed as a man.

She is currently 16th-ranked in the 87-kilo class.

"Told to be quiet"

- I have had female weightlifters who came up to me and said "this is not fair, what do we do?".

But unfortunately there is nothing to do because every time we raise the issue we are told to be quiet, says Lambrechs.

The International Olympic Committee's guidelines of the IOC state that transgender people are allowed to compete if testosterone levels are low enough, below 10 nanomoles per liter.

That criterion is met by Hubbard.

Researchers have criticized the guidelines, arguing that they do not take into account the biological benefits of going through puberty as a boy.

The IOC wrote in a statement on Thursday that it is committed to the work for inclusion, but that it is currently reviewing the guidelines.

"The IOC develops new guidelines to help ensure that all athletes - regardless of their gender identity and / or gender expression - can participate in safe and fair competitions," the IOC writes.