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Fans recently reacted to USA Weightlifting’s policy that will allow the participation of transgender athletes. The organization reckoned that trans athletes could participate against biological women representing “inclusivity.” However, USAW’s statement received major criticism on social media.
On March 29, USA Weightlifting released an official statement on the inclusion of transgender participation in its ‘sanctioned competitions.’ The organization highlighted that it believes in building a “diverse and inclusive weightlifting community.”
It also touched upon its transgender policy, which was last updated in 2021. As per the guidelines, the applications filed by trans athletes are reviewed by an eligibility committee that comprises a member from the sports medicine committee, an elite athlete and an independent committee member.
Afterwards, USAW invited fans to share their opinions on how the organization could “best lead the sports of weightlifting.”
However, the organization’s policy did not sit well with fans who took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and criticized it for being biased.
"Quit letting men cheat by competing against women," one user wrote.
Another user wrote:
"They all hate women apparently. I don’t know where it all come from but this is just terrible. I’ll never forgive all these awful people and what they are doing to women. These are cruel cruel people."
Here are a few more reactions from fans:
Trans weightlifter wins USA Weightlifting championship in ‘women’s’ category
USA Weightlifting organized its Masters National Championships earlier this month at Masters National Championships in Reno, Nevada.
The event made huge headlines for encouraging a trans weightlifter, Vicki Piper’s win in the women’s age and weight group. The 57-year-old lifted 123 pounds in the snatch and 156 pounds in the clean and jerk, totaling her performance to a combined 279 pounds.
Piper won against Krista Dornbush, a biologically female weightlifter by a combined 37 pounds. Just like the USAW, the International Olympic Committee has currently permitted the governing bodies of individual sports to form their own set of rules for transgender inclusion.
It mentioned in its guidelines in 2022;
“Principle 4 [fairness] recognises that sports organizations may at times need to issue eligibility criteria for sex-segregated competition to maintain a fair and proportionate distribution of competitive advantages among participants.
It also stressed the importance of exercising fair rules for “equality for women,”
“It also recognises the particular importance of advancing equality for women in sport and preserving fair and meaningful competition for elite women athletes, which may require criteria that limit eligibility in some cases.”
Nevertheless, in its recent 2024 update, the IOC has stated that trans athletes will not have to undergo “medically unnecessary” hormone treatments for participation.
