Male puberty is not the sole factor in ascertaining whether transgender athletes have an advantage over competitors, the International Olympic Committee's medical chief said on Thursday.
New Zealand's weightlifter Laurel Hubbard is set to become the first transgender athlete to compete at an Olympics when she starts in the heavyweight 87+kg category on Aug. 2 at the Tokyo Games. The 43-year-old's inclusion has been extremely divisive, with some questioning the fairness of transgender athletes competing against women.
Hubbard, who will be the oldest lifter at the Games, had competed in men's weightlifting competitions before transitioning in 2013.