"Being banned for 2yrs for opposing competing with a male disguised as a woman" - Riley Gaines reacts to Canadian powerlifter April Hutchinson's ban

Riley Gaines recently extended her support to Canadian powerlifter April Hutchinson for getting a 2-year powerlifting ban by the Canadian Powerlifting Unit. The 45-year-old received the judgment for raising her voice against trans powerlifters competing in the women’s category.

Women rights activist Riley Gaines is highly famous for her strong stance on protecting women in sports. The 23-year-old former swimmer actively highlights the events in the sports world that indicate transgender domination over women’s categories. Recently, she shared her thoughts on April Hutchinson’s shocking two-year ban as a result of her fight against trans powerlifters.

45-year-old Hutchinson made headlines in August. She began to call out trans powerlifter Anne Andres for competing at the Canadian Powerlifting Union's women's regional championship. Andres won the gold medal in that event along with her deadlift being recorded as the second-highest in women's weightlifting history.

In April Hutchinson’s opinion, it was unfair for the 40-year-old trans powerlifter to compete in the women’s category and snatch records from female powerlifters competing in their 20s and 30s.

However, after months of protest, April Hutchinson has recently received a 2-year suspension from the CPU. Apparently, the organization accused her of violating its code of conduct by calling Anne Andres a ‘biological male.’ She shared the update on her X (formerly known as Twitter) handle.

Showing her support, Riley Gaines reshared her post and wrote,

"A female athlete being banned for 2yrs for opposing competing with a male disguised as a woman. A disguise that's fooling no one btw"

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Riley Gaines congratulated Powerlifter for bringing change in transgender participation policy

In 2020, powerlifter Lea Christina lost to Anne Andres at a powerlifting championship. Not only did Andres defeat her, but she lifted 200 kilos more than her competitor. As a result, Canadian powerlifter Christina filed a complaint with the IPF that year.

Finally, after two years, on January 15, 2023, the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) announced the policy change regarding the participation of transgender athletes in women's competitions.

Aligning with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines, the IPF revised that transgender women would be required to lower their testosterone levels below 10 nanomoles per liter for at least 12 months before competing.

Previously, the IPF did not have any hormonal or medical requirements for transgender athletes to compete in their self-identified gender category.

Commending the IPF’s transgender policy change, Riley Gaines praised Lea Christina for her efforts. She also congratulated the organization for bringing such a great change.

Furthermore, Riley Gaines also wrote in an X (previously known as Twitter) post,

“It's not a fantastic policy, but certainly a step in the right direction. Fairness is prioritized over inclusion. But a reminder that women are more than a testosterone level. We have to appreciate small victories to win the bigger war on women.”

Gaines suggested that the small changes like these would ultimate bring a bigger revolution for women's sports.