In Tokyo, the world of Olympism will experience a small revolution.
New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will become the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics after being confirmed to her country's team by sports authorities on Monday.
New Zealand Olympic Committee chief Kereyn Smith said Hubbard, 43, had fulfilled all the requirements for the participation of transgender athletes.
“We recognize that transgender identity in sport is a highly sensitive and complex subject, which requires a balance between human rights and fairness on the ground,” she said.
A 16th world weightlifter
Laurel Hubbard, who also competed as a male, was recognized as a female athlete after demonstrating testosterone levels lower than permitted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Her detractors, however, believe that she has a physical advantage of being born male, to the detriment of female-born athletes.
She will compete in the over 87 kg category in Tokyo, where she is currently ranked 16th in the world.
She has long been sidelined from competitions after an elbow injury at the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
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Transgender
New Zealand
Olympic Games
Tokyo Olympics 2021
Sport
Weightlifting