The Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU) is at odds with the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) after they allowed a transgender competitor win the 2023 Women’s Western Canadian Championship in Winnipeg by a landslide.
Anne Andres, a transgender female powerlifter, won the competition by lifting over 200 kilos more than the biological woman who came in second place. Andres’ total score was 597.5 kilos with Suhan Gill, finishing in second place with a score of 387.5 kilos, breaking the unofficial world record for women’s powerlifting.
Andres is a biological man who identifies as a woman.
The IPF has told the CPU that they must adhere to the international rules on transgender athletes. The IPF requires competitors to provide their testosterone levels as well as state their gender identity as it is on their government-issued identification. The IPF’s rules align with other international sports governing bodies.
Andres claims that all IPF requirements have been met and have been followed since transitioning 20 years ago.
April Hutchinson, a powerlifter who has competed against Andres, is an outspoken critic of transgender individuals competing against biological women in powerlifting under the CPU. Hutchinson has also criticized Andres professional conduct towards her fellow competitors.
At the recent Western Canadian Championship, Andres placed a toy T-Rex onto the podium as an insult to another opponent who Andres had previously said had, “tiny little T-Rex arms.” Andres had also previously mocked opponents for being weak on social media.
“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,” said Hutchinson in an interview with 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.”
Andres future ability to compete in the female powerlifting category in Canada remains up to the CPU.
