A Kiwi transgender weightlifter was very much in contention for a gold medal when she was forced to withdraw from the women’s 90-kg plus class after suffering a terrible elbow injury, and while questions on her participation in the women’s category persist.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Commonwealth Games 2018: transgender Kiwi weightlifter Lauren Hubbard suffers sickening … <a href="https://t.co/ycRfsjDlZ6">https://t.co/ycRfsjDlZ6</a></p>— Trans News (@alltransnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/alltransnews/status/983291878782197761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Lauren Hubbard was a red-hot favorite and was poised to breeze through nearest rival Feagaiga Stowers of Samoa in the snatch section on Monday but was sidelined when she hurt her elbow while trying to pull off a Games-record 132kg on her final attempt.
The transgender weightlifter’s elbow buckled in such a gruesome manner when she attempted the huge lift. The only relief is that the 40-year-old athlete appears to have avoided dislocating the joint.
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Hubbard appeared to be still in positive spirits after the untimely injury, even as the extent of what she suffered remains uncertain. She said: ”At this stage, we don’t know the exact details of the injury. It seems likely that I have ruptured a ligament.”
The transgender athlete added: “The one saving grace in all of this is that I’m not in any great pain at the moment. I’m sure that will come with time.”
Hubbard is no stranger to challenges and odds, especially since she has been confronted with controversies ever since her selection on New Zealand’s team in November. Hubbard previously lifted as Gavin Hubbard. She has won two world silvers last year after being cleared to compete as a woman by the International Olympic Committee, after recording below threshold testosterone levels.
Critics continue to slam the transgender athlete. Samoan weightlifting head coach Jerry Wallwork firmly opposed her competing at the Games. Wallwork told the local media as it is. He said: “A man is a man and a woman is a woman.”
Coach Wallwork added: “And I know a lot of changes have gone through, but in the past Laurel Hubbard used to be a male champion weightlifter.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Good morning Ross, I was wondering if you had a view on Lauren Hubbard, the NZ trans weightlifter, involvement in a woman’s event. Surely male puberty has given them life long advantage? Is their a rational explanation for the governing bodies decision? Thanks for your time.</p>— Idiots in Charge (@idiotsincharge) <a href="https://twitter.com/idiotsincharge/status/983228050035879936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is mental. Male champion weightlifter declares self to be transgender and changes name to Lauren. Now, 3 yrs later, is favourite to win women’s title at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CommonwealthGames2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CommonwealthGames2018</a>. Well, duh!! So, as a self-declared female, does she get less prize money? <a href="https://t.co/G6hr0zsy7v">https://t.co/G6hr0zsy7v</a></p>— Papa Lazarou (@framey) <a href="https://twitter.com/framey/status/983048805510762496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That’s Lauren Hubbard isn’t it? Bloody outrageous. OUTRAGEOUS.</p>— Not Offa’s Dyke (@RebelleYellow) <a href="https://twitter.com/RebelleYellow/status/982304534679687168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It's abundantly clear that Lauren Hubbard is not physiologically the same as the other women competing.</p>— intransigeance (@lntransigeance) <a href="https://twitter.com/lntransigeance/status/980875166501822464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Lauren Hubbard pulling out through an "injured elbow" is possibly the best result that could have occurred at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CommonwealthGames2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CommonwealthGames2018</a> - gives time for a proper debate about trans females and their possible competitive advantages.</p>— Just Cameroon (@just_cameroon) <a href="https://twitter.com/just_cameroon/status/983341636338974721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive David Grevemberg said while Hubbard is eligible to compete under international weightlifting guidelines, it is clearly an issue that needs further discussion.
Source:
Twitter: #MAGA #KeepAmericaGreat #NewZealand #Weightlifting #TransgenderAthlete #SportsNews
This is so wrong. HE is no more a woman than I am Gazelle. They want to fall into transgender. There has to be a Block on future Physical Competition with the gender you NOW say you are. It is not fair to the women that are women all their life. Goes for the reverse. A female decides to be a male and Physical Competition is off their bucket list.
I personally say KARMA just took Him/Her out of competition.
So let me understand this new reality we are forced to live with… a guy can "identify" as a woman and can compete with them professionally? Hrmmm well then, if a male athlete like a wrestler who's not quite champ material in his league can switch genders call himself a woman and mop up the woman's league!?!
Sounds real fair to real women athletes. This gender ident issue is retarded. I agree there are rare cases of a child born with hermaphroditism and the parents and doctors picked wrong. These are maybe 1% of the people that want or seem to crave attention, kinda like a dog. If your dog doesn't get enough attention they will act up cause any attention to them will do. I am starting to think my dog has more upstairs than these tranny retards.