The title of World’s Strongest Woman has been reassigned to Britain’s Andrea Thompson after the initial winner, American competitor Jammie Booker, was disqualified just days after the Official Strongman Games World Championship in Arlington, Texas.
According to the New York Post, Booker, who identifies as female, had not disclosed to event organisers that she was biologically male.
Officials said this information would have made her ineligible to compete in the Women’s Open category.
“Had we been aware, or had this been declared at any point before or during the competition, this athlete would not have been permitted to compete in the Women’s Open category,” the organisation said.
The group also told the BBC, “It is our responsibility to ensure fairness and ensure athletes are assigned to men’s or women’s categories based on whether they are recorded as male or female at birth.”
Thompson, who initially finished second in the six-event competition, was seen walking off the podium in a viral Instagram video when Booker was declared the winner. The 43-year-old Briton, who previously won the world title in 2018, later expressed her frustration on social media.
“What should be a momentous occasion has sadly been overshadowed by scandal and dishonesty from someone who was welcomed into our crazy sport,” she wrote on Instagram.
“I am not only frustrated with not being able to celebrate a win, but also for the ladies who had their time to shine on the podium or reach the final day, taken away from them.”
Thompson was officially awarded the title two days after the competition, which ran from November 20 to 23. She told the BBC the backlash and online insults following the disqualification had left her mentally exhausted.
“This has been the most exhausting experience of my career,” she said, urging critics to stop. “We, as a community, are taking a stand. Protecting women’s sport as we have fought so hard for.”
Online, reactions were mixed.
One Instagram user, Jason Cohen, wrote: “Big CONGRATS to the winner ANDREA THOMPSON. A woman!”
Another, Kelly Zarzasky, added: “I don’t have anything against anyone’s opinion on switching their gender… but seriously, it’s a big disadvantage for a born man to participate in a strength contest with women. This isn’t a ping pong tournament; this is strength.”