Canadian Powerlifting Union is set to suspend female bodybuilder for two years ... trends now
A Canadian female powerlifter is set to be suspended from the sport for two years after slamming a transgender record-breaking rival as a 'trans identifying male.'
April Hutchinson is facing a lengthy ban from powerlifting for her remarks on competitor Anne Andres, a transgender woman who sparked backlash after destroying the Canadian women's national record in August.
Following Andres' dominant display, where she beat her nearest challenger by over 200 kilograms in total, Hutchinson appeared on TalkTV's Piers Morgan Uncensored to condemn the victory as unfair.
'It's been very disheartening, that national record that he broke athletes have been chasing that for years,' she said. 'It just goes to show the physical advantages that a male has over a female.'
In response, the Canadian Powerlifting Union says it has recommended that Hutchinson be suspended for two years, which she said was for 'speaking publicly about the unfairness of biological males being allowed to taunt female competitors and loot their winnings.'
Powerlifter April Hutchinson is set to be suspended from powerlifting after her fiery appearance on TalkTV in August (pictured), where she lamented 'the physical advantages that a male has over a female'
Hutchinson said she was quickly threatened with suspension as soon as she criticized Canadian powerlifting's 'lenient' stance on transgender athletes, adding that 'we have no policy at all to protect women and girls in sports'
Transgender athlete Anne Andres was criticized for remarks she made earlier this year about her female competitors, who she said were 'so bad' at bench press as she described one as having 'little T-Rex arms'
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Hutchinson began powerlifting four years ago, and says she started her campaigning against transgender athletes' inclusion in biological female categories around a year ago.
Despite being warned almost immediately she would be banned for her stance, she said she continued speaking out for the past year because, essentially, 'we have no policy at all to protect women and girls in sports.'
'Canada is very lenient with policies,' she explained. 'You do not need any proof, my boyfriend could basically walk in tomorrow, identify as a female and compete, and the next day go back to being a man again.'
Hutchinson noted the example of Avi Silverberg, a male powerlifting coach who protested Canada's lenient self-ID rules by entering a competition as a woman before smashing a bench press record in April.
'I will keep speaking out about fairness, because women deserve that. It's completely unfair, it's bodies that play sports not identities,' she continued, adding that many biological women she knows who regularly compete in powerlifting will withdraw when they see Andres' name against them.
After slating the transgender athlete on TV, Hutchinson became the focus of an ethics investigation by the governing body, which she tweeted the results of on Tuesday.
'I now face a two-year ban by the CPU for speaking publicly about the unfairness of biological males being allowed to taunt female competitors and loot their winnings,' Hutchinson said.
'Apparently, I have failed in my gender-role duties as “supporting actress” in the horror show that is my #sport right now.
'This... Even though a 13-page letter was sent to the CPU in October thoroughly debunking all accusations. Obviously, someone had to pay the price for the IPF forcing CPU to be more female-friendly.
'Let this be a lesson to all female athletes to shut-up and put-up with #SexDiscrimination. In truth, my fight does not stop here.'
Andres sparked backlash in August when she captured the Canadian women's national record, beating out her nearest competitor by over 200kg in total
