Former NFL star Brett Favre doesn’t think Laurel Hubbard should be allowed to compete against women in next month’s Olympic Games being held in Tokyo.
On a recent episode of his podcast, the Hall of Fame quarterback said, “It’s a man competing as a woman. That’s unfair. It’s not fair for a man, even if this person wants to be a woman or feels compelled — if you want to become the opposite sex, that’s fine. I got no problem with it. But you can’t compete against — males cannot compete against females.”
“If I was a true female — I can’t believe I’m saying that — and I was competing in weightlifting and lost to this person, I would be beside myself,” Favre said, according to a report from Fox News.
As CBN’s Faithwire reported on Tuesday, Hubbard — a biological male who identifies as female — is slated to become the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics after New Zealand selected the 43-year-old to participate in the Tokyo games.
The weightlifter transitioned from male to female eight years ago. Prior to 2013, Hubbard participated in men’s competitions.
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As CBN News reported last month, Hubbard never competed internationally as a man. She has declined interview requests since winning the silver medal in the Women’s Super Heavyweight division at the 2017 World Championships. American Sarah Robles won the gold medal at that event.
Hubbard placed second and sixth at the world championships in 2017 and 2019. Her last international result was recorded before the pandemic on March 1, 2020, according to NBC Sports.
Hubbard became eligible to compete as a female in 2015, after showing a testosterone level below 10 nanomoles per liter for the preceding 12 months leading up to competing.
Critics of transgenders competing in women’s sports have pointed out that while testosterone levels can be decreased, other physiological benefits possessed by individuals with male DNA are immutable, like bone structure.
In a statement released Monday, New Zealand Olympic Committee CEO Kereyn Smith admitted “gender identity” in professional sports is a “highly sensitive and complex issue.” She did, however, note Hubbard has the support of the committee, which is dedicated to “inclusion and respect for all.”
Since transitioning to female, Hubbard has dominated women’s weightlifting.
The transgender athlete has set four national weightlifting records for New Zealand and has unseated Tracey Lambrechs, a former Olympic weightlifter, as the top female competitor in their weight class.
‘Go Participate for Somebody Else’
Favre also commented about BMX Freestyle rider Chelsea Wolfe, who in a Facebook post last year said her goal was to win an Olympic medal “so I can burn a US flag on the podium.”
As CBN News reported Tuesday, Wolfe qualified and was named as an alternate to the U.S. Olympic team. The post was made on March 25, 2020.
Wolfe told Fox News the now-deleted post wasn’t intended to show disdain for America but was an attempt to “take a stand against fascism.”
Wolfe identifies as a transgender woman.
Journalist Ian Miles Cheong first reported Wolfe’s social media post in his online blog on June 18, writing he believes Wolfe hates her country.
“In Wolfe’s case, Wolfe has a physical advantage over everyone else in the competition, and Team USA knows it,” Cheong wrote. “Wolfe’s acceptance aside, the athlete is a bad fit for Team USA, because Wolfe hates America.”
Favre said because of Wolfe’s public remarks, they shouldn’t be allowed to compete.
“I wouldn’t have her participate in my Olympics; go participate for somebody else. To say that is such a slap in our country’s face. I can’t believe this person can be allowed to participate for our country,” he told his podcast audience.