The International Powerlifting Federation Raises Concerns about Canada’s Decision to Allow a Man to Compete in Women’s Category
The International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) warned the Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU) over it allowing a biological man to compete against women in the form of an ultimatum.
“They risk to be suspended if they do not follow that policy,” Gaston Parage, IPF President,
told
the Daily Mail, which first reported the warning.
This came after a
male powerlifter
outlifted the top-performing female athlete by 470 pounds at the CPU championships last week.
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The federation’s rules state that “no lifter should have an unfair and disproportionate advantage over another athlete.”
To that end, athletes who identify as transgender—biological men who undergoing cross-sex procedures—are required to “demonstrate that her total testosterone level in serum has been equal or below 2.4 nanomoles per litre (nmol/L) and/or free testosterone equal or below 0.433 nmol/dL (or at or below the upper limit of normal of a particular laboratory reference) for at least 12 months prior to her first competition.”
“The athlete’s total testosterone level in serum must remain at or below 2.4 nmol/litre (nmol/L) and free testosterone at or below 0.433 nmol/L (or at or below the upper limit of normal of the laboratory reference) throughout the period of desired eligibility to compete in the female category.”
Noncompliance with testing will render the athlete ineligible for competition.
“It’s different in different sports, we are a strength sport so of course, it is different from other sport and so we worked out a long time this policy but Canada never did follow that policy,” Mr. Parage said.
“It is important to do that because we worked out the transgender policy we wanted to make sure that we don’t discriminate against women. It is needed to have such a policy to make sure if a transgender compete[s], that it is fair [to] the women. That is how we worked out the transgender policy.”
The CPU’s transgender policy (
pdf
) makes no mention of such testing, and contradicts the IPF’s policies in stating that athletes are not required to disclose additional information regarding their gender identity or history and do not need to have undergone any hormone therapy. It further outlines its commitment to train staff “on the importance of trans inclusion.”
The Epoch Times reached out to CPU for comment.
Controversial Record
The CPU championships took place from Aug. 10 to Aug. 17, where
Anne Andres
lifted
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