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The 2025 World's Strongest Woman descended into chaos after an alleged transgender athlete took gold, sparking outrage from athletes and coaches.
American Jammie Booker, who is accused of being a biological male, beat Great Britain's Andrea Thompson to victory at the event in Arlington, Texas.
But Thompson walked off the podium in protest and she has been crowned the 'true World's Strongest Woman' by her coach and some of her peers. Rebecca Roberts, a three-time winner of World's Strongest Woman, has sensationally claimed that no one - not even the organizers - knew about Booker's background.
Details on the American are murky but in a YouTube video - uploaded to what appears to be Booker's YouTube channel in September 2017 - Booker says: 'Everyone is dying to tell their own story and I am obviously no exception to that.
'I'm 21 year-old trans woman with a history of abuse, struggling to stay true to herself while under the rule of her religious parents.'
On Monday night, Roberts posted a picture on Instagram which read 'Protect Women's Sports.' She wrote alongside the picture: 'I hold no hate toward transgender people. Everyone deserves dignity, respect, and the freedom to live their truth.
American Jammie Booker won the World's Strongest Woman championships in Arlington
'But I cannot stay silent about something that threatens the fairness and future of women’s strength sports. Transgender women, people born male, should not be competing in the women’s category.
'This isn’t about identity. It isn’t about politics. It’s about the undeniable physical differences that exist in strength-based sports… differences that don’t disappear, and that matter more here than almost anywhere else. Women’s categories were created for a reason, and if we lose that, we lose the foundation of our sport.
'What happened this weekend wasn’t transparent. None of us knew. Not even the organisers 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.
'I love this sport. I have given my life to it. And I won’t ignore something that could quietly change it forever. Congratulations to @andreathompson_strongwoman... the true Worlds Strongest Woman 2025'
Thompson was among those to like the post. Her coach Laurence Shahlaei, meanwhile, also took to social media to express his opposition to the official results.
'A huge congratulations to my client but more importantly, my very good friend @andreathompson_strongwoman for winning the World’s Strongest Woman 2025,' he wrote.
'You worked your a** off for this and I’m so proud of you. You absolutely dominated the deadlift, log and circus dumbbell and while there are still a couple of weaknesses to work on, you were still the strongest woman on the day.
Jammie Booker, a man pretending to be a woman, just won the title of “World’s Strongest Woman” at the World’s Strongest Woman competition in Arlington, Texas.
Andrea Thompson, the female runner-up, had her title stolen by a man.
KEEP MEN OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS pic.twitter.com/MYXCmOSEEc
'This win hasn’t come without controversy, but I want to make it very clear that while I support and applaud people for being who they want to be, sport is sport and the women’s classes exist for a reason.
'Congratulations also to my client and friend @jacked__jackie for 3rd place and back to back podiums. Proud of you and the class you showed this weekend also.'
Mitchell Hooper, the 2023 World's Strongest Man, paid tribute to Thompson with his own message on Instagram. 'Congratulations to @andreathompson_strongwoman on a champions [sic] performance this weekend at Worlds Strongest Woman.'
His post drew an outpouring of support for the British athlete, notably from three-time winner of World's Strongest Woman, Donna Moore. 'True winner of Worlds Strongest WOMAN this weekend,' she commented.
The Daily Mail has contacted Booker and Official Strongman Games for comment.
