Chinanews client, Beijing, June 21. According to AFP, New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will become the first transgender athlete to participate in the Olympics. This is the first time in the 100-year history of the Olympics.
Data map: New Zealand weightlifter Hubbard
Hubbard, 43, once participated in the competition as a male, and turned into a female in his 30s.
In 2018, Hubbard, who was injured in the game, may have ended her career for a time, but she has been working hard to recover.
It is reported that Hubbard will participate in the women's 87 kg competition at the Tokyo Olympics, and she is currently ranked 16th in the world in this event.
Through the New Zealand Olympic Committee, Hubbard expressed his gratitude to those who gave her kindness and support.
In an interview in 2017, Hubbard once said: "I know that I won't get everyone's support, but I hope people can keep an open mind."
New Zealand Olympic Committee Chairman Smith said Hubbard meets the criteria for participating in the Olympics.
Smith also admitted that gender identification in sports is a highly sensitive and complex issue.
Not all voices expressed support for Hubbard's upcoming participation in the Olympics.
Some critics pointed out that Hubbard grew up as a male, which gave him many advantages in physical conditions, which is unfair to other female players.
According to the report, Hubbard’s former teammate admitted frankly that the concerns of female athletes have been ignored.
It is reported that there have been other female players who thought it was unfair, "Unfortunately, we can't do anything about it."
According to Japan’s Kyodo News Agency, the International Olympic Committee introduced new regulations in 2015 to allow transgender players to participate in the competition as women as long as the male hormone testosterone level is below a certain value in 12 months.
Hubbard meets this standard.
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