Victory was short-lived for Jammie Booker after the title of the World’s Strongest Woman was taken away from her.
The winner was stripped of the coveted title on Tuesday, November 25, after organizers claimed she violated the rules regarding the gender of competing athletes.
Victory was short-lived for Jammie Booker after the title of the World’s Strongest Woman was taken away from her
Image credits: Jammie Booker
Jammie Booker was initially crowned the World’s Strongest Woman at the Official Strongman Games World Championship in Arlington, Texas, which took place over the last weekend.
However, she enjoyed the title for a matter of days before the organizers disqualified her, saying she violated contest rules.
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The rules clearly stipulate that all participating athletes must compete in the category that aligns with the biological s*x they were assigned at birth.
Jammie competed in the women’s category, but organizers claimed they weren’t told she was “biologically male.”
The Philadelphia athlete was eventually disqualified after organizers said they were not “aware” of her history.
Organizers claimed they were not “aware” that the Philadelphia athlete was assigned male at birth
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“It appears that an athlete who is biologically male and who now identifies as female competed in the Women’s Open category,” read a statement shared by the organizers.
“Official Strongman officials were unaware of this fact ahead of the competition,” the statement continued.
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Organizers noted that they have been “urgently investigating” the matter after being informed.
“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 Woman’s Open category,” they added.
“Official Strongman officials were unaware of this fact ahead of the competition,” read the organizers’ statement
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The organizers asserted that they were “clear” on the rules, which stipulate that “competitors can only compete in the category for the biological s*x recorded at birth.”
“Official Strongman is inclusive and proud to run events which do not discriminate against athletes based on personal characteristics,” they said.
“Any athlete is welcome,” they continued. “But it is our responsibility to ensure fairness and ensure athletes are assigned to men or women’s categories based on whether they are recorded as male or female at birth.”
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After Jammie’s disqualification, UK lifter Andrea Thompson was crowned the winner of the World’s Strongest Woman competition.
Andrea was the initial runner-up and expressed outrage over Jammie’s victory, calling the decision to reward her with the title “bullsh**.”
UK lifter Andrea Thompson was crowned the winner after Jammie’s disqualification
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When Andrea received the first-place title, she shared a message online and said the entire ordeal was “the most exhausting experience of [her] career.”
“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.
She said she was “frustrated” over not being able to “celebrate a win” and also for the ladies who “who had their time to shine on the podium or reach the final day, taken away from them.”
Andrea said the incident was “the most exhausting experience of [her] career”
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Three-time champ Rebecca Roberts also slammed the initial crowning of Jammie as the winner.
She shared a statement ahead of the athlete’s disqualification and said, “Transgender women, people born male, should not be competing in the women’s category.”
She said the events that transpired over the weekend were not “transparent.”
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“None of us knew. Not even the organizers knew. And when fairness is taken by surprise, trust in the sport begins to crack,” she said.
While she expressed support for trans athletes, she still showed support for the competition’s rules regarding gender.
“My message is simple,” she added. “Trans people belong in sport, but women’s divisions must remain biologically born female-only.”
Many lifters joined the discussion about the participation of trans athletes in the competition
Image credits: Mitchell Hooper
Meanwhile, Australian strongwoman Allira-Joy Cowley, who initially placed third, was promoted to second in the category after Jammie was stripped of her title.
“I didn’t expect this podium,” she said in an Instagram post. “I stood beside some of the strongest women in the world and felt completely overwhelmed in the best way.”
Jammie has so far not addressed the controversy following her disqualification.