The controversial winner of the World's Strongest Woman championship was stripped of her title on Tuesday after organizers said the American competitor never told them that she was male by birth. Jammie Booker was disqualified only days after dominating the field at the Official Strongman Games World Championship in Arlington, Texas, over the weekend.
Event organizers said the Philadelphia athlete violated a rule that requires competitors to participate in the division that aligns with their biological sex at birth. "It appears that an athlete who is biologically male and who now identifies as female competed in the Women's Open category," organizers said in a social media statement announcing the decision.
Unceremonious Exit
"Official Strongman officials were unaware of this fact ahead of the competition and we have been urgently investigating since 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.
The decision came shortly after the runner-up, UK strongwoman Andrea Thompson, was caught on video storming off the podium and venting her frustration over what she called a "bulls–t" ruling that had handed Booker the title.
Thompson has now been named the official winner — a result many supporters online argued should have happened from the start.
Organizers said the standings will be updated to reflect Booker's disqualification.
"We are clear — competitors can only compete in the category for the biological sex recorded at birth," organizers said.
"Official Strongman is inclusive and proud to run events which do not discriminate against athletes based on personal characteristics. Any athlete is welcome. 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."
Recognized at Last
Three-time champion Rebecca Roberts was among the first to speak out, saying she and other athletes had no idea Booker was not born female. "Transgender women, people born male, should not be competing in the women's category," she said in a statement prior to Booker being stripped of the title.
"What happened this weekend wasn't transparent. None of us knew. Not even the organizers knew. And when fairness is taken by surprise, trust in the sport begins to crack."
"My message is simple. Trans people belong in sport, but women's divisions must remain biologically born female-only," she added.
Booker has not spoken publicly about her disqualification. Organizers said their attempts to contact her following the competition were unsuccessful.
