
Bearded man smashes women’s weightlifting record held by trans lifter
A lifter with a beard broke a trans lifter's record in a weightlifting competition.
Source: Lee Brown - NY Post from News.com.au
https://www.foxsports.com.au/more-sport ... 271d938e8d
March 31st, 2023
A bearded pro powerlifter entered a women’s competition in Canada and smashed a record held by a [deleted] lifter who was watching on.
The NY Post https://nypost.com/2023/03/30/male-powe ... ks-record/ reports Avi Silverberg, the head coach for Team Canada Powerlifting for more than 10 years, entered last weekend’s Heroes Classic tournament in Lethbridge, Alberta, after identifying as a female.
Video shared by athlete activist group the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) shows him walking up to the platform still fully bearded and wearing a regular men’s singlet.
He then casually bench-pressed nearly 167kg — beating the current Alberta women’s record by almost 45kg.
The current record — 124kg pounds — is held by trans athlete Anne Andres, who was seen watching Silverberg while volunteering at the event.
Andres also holds the Alberta women’s record for the dead lift, at 245kg.
The trans lifter won eight of nine competitions entered in the women’s category over the last four years, ICONS said.
As Silverberg broke her record, Andres stood off to the edge of the platform area, only strolling back on after the male lifter walked off.
ICONS said Silverberg
that allows competitors to register for events under theirmocked the discriminatory (Canadian Powerlifting Union) policy
vowinggender identity and expression, rather than their sex or gender,
for doing so.no consequences
Avi Silverberg seemed to effortlessly smash the female record. Photo: Twitter. Source: Twitter
[deleted] lifter Anne Andres was at the event as the male pro smashed her record. Photo: Twitter. Source: Twitter
CPU’s [deleted] policy states an individual
It also states:should be able to participate in the gender with which they identify and not be subject to requirements for disclosure of personal information beyond those required of cisgender athletes.
Meanwhile, the union’s competition registration policy states that a competitor’sNor should there be any requirement for hormonal therapy or surgery.
It is unclear if Silverberg presented a government-issued ID identifying him as a female or was required to.government-issued photo identification (excluding youth lifters) must be verified during the weigh-in or equipment check, including date of birth, province and gender at all competitions.
According to ICONS,
Silverberg, who is also an online coach and powerlifting columnist, has not directly addressed the competition.what Avi so obviously points out is that policies allowing men access to women’s sports completely remove any integrity in women’s competitions.
It doesn’t matter how Avi expresses himself or perceives himself. He clearly does not belong in women’s sport, and neither does any other male regardless of their motivation for wanting to participate.
However, Andres posted a series of lengthy videos calling him
witha coward and a bigot
Still, in one clip, she openly admitted thatmalicious intent.
maybe my participation isn’t necessarily fair — you know, there’s science, whatever.
The [deleted] athlete called Silverberg “a coward and a bigot” with “malicious intent.” Photo: Instagram. Source: Instagram
Avi Silverberg entered the competition identifying as a female. Photo: Instagram. Source: Instagram
In another follow-up, she said it was not her problem, however, because she
transitioned almost 20 years ago.
she wrote alongside one video.I got surgery — I can prove without any doubt whatsoever that I have gone through every step, which means whatever governing body decides to make decisions, I will pass that test.
I actually care about women in sport because I AM a woman in sport,
Bodybuilding influencer Greg Doucette
was among those highlighting the episode, noting how ludicrous it was for a man to so easily compete in a supposed drug-free event despite way higher testosterone.
Doucette said.I think this proves a point,
If a guy can just show up and then set the … record, doesn’t that prove that it’s not fair? So how long before the powers-that-be suddenly wake up, smell the coffee and understand that if you’re born a female you’re not gonna be as powerful, as strong … as if you were born a male.
Doucette said of the “unfair advantage” — comparing it to the advantage a woman would have if she entered a drag queen show against men.I’m stating facts,
he said, adding it is especially important for combat sports where women competitors could get injured.To me the answer is simple — we add a separate category, a new category, the trans category,
This article originally appeared in the NY Post https://nypost.com/2023/03/30/male-powe ... ks-record/ and was reproduced with permission.