Adedokun Waliyu 
The weight of an international body is crashing down on a transgender lifter.
After having a transgender competitor win an event earlier this month, the Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU) is facing an ultimatum from the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) to get in line.
The IPF says that the CPU must align with the governing body’s rules on transgender competitors after seeing Anne Andres, a transgender female, crush her competition by more than 200 kilos in total at the 2023 Western Canadian Championship.
Andres’ total score was 597.5 kilos while second-place finisher SuJan Gill mustered 387.5 kilos.
IPF rules state that competitors must disclose their testosterone levels and provide government-issued ID with their gender identity. This would also align with similar policies from other international sports governing bodies.
According to dailymail.com, Andres said that she meets all the IPF requirements and has for the past 20 years, when she transitioned.
Fellow powerlifter April Hutchinson has been a vocal opponent of Andres. She has been highly critical of not only the Canadian’s ability to compete, but also about her attitude towards female competitors.
“It’s bodies that are playing sports, not identities. I don’t care about everything else but when it comes down to sports, it’s about bodies and biology and science, and strength, especially with powerlifting,” Hutchinson told the Daily Mail.
“There was no policy. Anyone could walk up. A man could walk in tomorrow, identify ‘as a girl,’ and then just powerlift and then go back to being a man. No testosterone monitoring.”
Anne Andres (centre) stands on the podium with a T-Rex toy at her feet after winning the 2023 Western Canadian Championship.
Anne Andres (centre) stands on the podium with a T-Rex toy at her feet after winning the 2023 Western Canadian Championship.
After winning this year’s event, Andres stepped onto the podium and placed a toy T-Rex on the base, furthering a previous insult aimed at an opponent’s “tiny little T-Rex arms.” She also has mocked her opponents in the past for being “weak.”
Whether or not Andres will get the chance to compete in the female category again is now up to the CPU.
