The 2025 World’s Strongest Woman competition has been thrown into chaos after an alleged transgender athlete, Jammie Booker, won the title only to be disqualified days later. The decision came after UK competitor Andrea Thompson walked off the podium in apparent protest during the medal ceremony in Arlington, Texas.
Organisers of the Official Strongman World Championships confirmed they had disqualified Booker, stating: 'All athlete points and places will be altered accordingly to ensure that the rightful places are allocated to each of the Women’s Open athletes.' Thompson has since been widely recognised as the true winner by coaches and fellow athletes.
Three-time champion Rebecca Roberts claimed that neither competitors nor organisers were aware of Booker’s background before the event. She posted a statement on Instagram arguing that transgender women 'should not be competing in the women’s category,' citing 'undeniable physical differences' in strength-based sports. She added: 'This isn't about identity. It isn't about politics.'
Thompson’s coach, Laurence Shahlaei, congratulated her, saying she 'absolutely dominated' key events and that 'women’s classes exist for a reason.' 2023 World’s Strongest Man Mitchell Hopper also backed Thompson, describing her performance as 'a champions performance,' and later released a YouTube video criticising the result.
The controversy has raised questions over governance and athlete classification, with several competitors calling for transparency. The title has now been officially awarded to Andrea Thompson.
