The results have not arrived, but that is not what matters. New Zealander Laurel Hubbard, the first transgender to compete in the Olympics, was immediately eliminated from the final of the +87 kg category of Tokyo 2020 weightlifting. She failed the first three attempts to enter the competition, in which she tried to lift 120 once. kilos and twice 125, and was therefore eliminated, finishing in tenth and last place.
Before leaving the competition platform, 43-year-old Hubbard put a hand to her heart by addressing those in the room. «I’m not unaware of how much my presence here makes me argue, but I want to thank the IOC – were his words – His yes explains to the world what Olympism is: inclusion. Because sport is for everyone ».
Hubbard’s presence, however, doesn’t make everyone agree. “Today the Olympic spirit prevails – said the Belgian Anna Vanbellinghen – but the rest of my idea”, namely that the participation of Hubbard, who had already competed in lifting as a man, represents a “bad joke”. “We have to rearrange the rules: nothing against the participation of trans, but they should not be given such a strong advantage.” “
Reorder the rules: the IOC a few days ago gave life to a round table with medical experts and the international federation, to understand what to do next. «The rules are respected and are not changed during the race. But then yes », the slogan of the president IOC, Bach. And in fact that working group has developed a principle. After Tokyo and Beijing 2022, it will be necessary to sit down and study sport-by-sport rules.
