The most powerful woman in the world: British Andrea Thompson was crowned champion after a transgender athlete was excluded

The statement added: “If we had known about this, or this had been announced at any time before or during the competition, this athlete would not have been allowed to compete in the women’s open category.”

“It is our responsibility to ensure fairness and ensure that athletes are allocated to men’s or women’s categories based on whether they were registered as male or female at birth.”

Thompson, who was crowned the world’s strongest woman for the first time in 2018, said the way she won the title had taken the shine off her, but she praised the strongman for “investigating the situation and rectifying it so quickly.”

“What should have been a momentous occasion was unfortunately overshadowed by scandal and dishonesty from someone who was welcomed into our crazy sport,” she said in a post on her Instagram page., external account.

“Not only am I disappointed not to be able to celebrate the win, but also for the women who had their time to shine on the podium or make it to the final day, which was denied to them.”

Thompson, from Suffolk, said she and her fellow competitors were “mentally exhausted” after “receiving backlash and insults” since the decision, which “must stop”.

“This was the most stressful experience of my professional career,” she added.

“We as a community are taking a stand. Protecting women’s sports as we fought so hard for.”