The athlete initially crowned “World’s Strongest Woman” at the Official Strongman Games in Arlington, Texas, has been disqualified after organizers discovered that Booker, from Philadelphia, is biologically male.
Booker won the women’s category with an overwhelming performance, but the decision was reversed only days later. According to the organizers, the competition rules require athletes to compete according to their biological sex at birth. The revelation came after runner-up Andrea Thompson from the UK publicly expressed frustration over what she called a “completely unreasonable” outcome.
In a social media statement, the organizers said: “It appears an athlete who is biologically male but identifies as female competed in the female open category. We were completely unaware prior to the competition and launched an immediate investigation once notified.”
They added, “Had we known beforehand, or if the athlete had declared this during registration, they would not have been allowed to compete in the women’s category.”
As a result of Booker’s disqualification, Andrea Thompson is now recognized as the official winner and “World’s Strongest Woman,” with all rankings adjusted accordingly.
Three-time champion Rebecca Roberts voiced strong criticism, emphasizing fairness in women’s competitions. “Transgender women, meaning those born male, should not compete in the female category. Last weekend’s event lacked transparency. No one knew, not even the organizers. When fairness is suddenly taken away, trust in sport begins to crack,” Roberts said.
Booker has not publicly responded to the disqualification, and organizers confirmed they have attempted to contact the athlete without success.
The incident reignites ongoing debates in sports about gender identity and fairness, highlighting the challenges of balancing inclusion with equitable competition.
Sources: New York Post