Piers Morgan has slammed the Olympics for making the decision to allow their first-ever transgender athlete. Describing the decision as a "terrible mistake", the outspoken journalist referred to New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, who was permitted to compete in the 87kg weightlifting category for Tokyo 2020 after the entry requirements were modified, per <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/06/21/new-zealand-weightlifter-to-become-first-trans-athlete-to-compete-in-olympics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>. This comes after a 2015 decision by the Olympics committee enabled transgender athletes to compete for the first time in women's sports as long as their testosterone levels were below a certain point. <a href="https://vt.co/lifestyle/lgbtq/new-zealand-weightlifter-praised-for-becoming-first-trans-athlete-to-compete-in-olympics">Hubbard's selection</a> comes after she won two golds and a silver medal in three of the women's heavyweight categories at the Pacific Games in Samoa back in 2019. <img class="wp-image-1263114418 " src="https://img.vt.co/2021/06/Rant-2.jpg" alt="Laurel Hubbard weightlifting." width="664" height="475" />[[imagecaption|| Credit: Alamy / Reuters]] But Piers didn't hold back as he slammed the decision in a scathing rant. He wrote in <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9709005/PIERS-MORGAN-Allowing-transgender-weightlifter-compete-Tokyo-Olympics-mistake.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">MailOnline</a>: "The uncomfortable irrefutable truth is that this decision is a disaster for women's sport. "By supposedly promoting 'equality' with the inclusion of a transgender weightlifter, the Olympics have created a shocking new inequality - and everyone with half a brain knows it. "Women born to female biological bodies are at a massive disadvantage to transgender women like Laurel Hubbard born to male biological bodies." <img class="wp-image-1263114417 " src="https://img.vt.co/2021/06/Rant-1.jpg" alt="Laurel Hubbard competing." width="691" height="494" />[[imagecaption|| Credit: Alamy / Reuters]] He added: "How can it be right that Australia's fine female weightlifter Charisma Amoe-Tarrant will now miss out on a dream appearance at the Olympics because Hubbard took her place? Why should Samoa's Feagaiga Stowers, who Hubbard beat to Gold at the 2019 Pacific Games, now again have to face an opponent with such an unfair advantage." Piers then concluded his rant by saying that many others, including feminists, are afraid to speak out on the issue out of fear that they will be canceled. Hubbard, 43, came out as a transgender woman in 2013 and had previously competed in men's sporting categories, something Piers believes will give her an unfair advantage at the 2020 Olympics. New Zealand Olympic Committee chief Kereyn Smith commented on the decision in an official statement made on Monday, June 21, per <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/06/21/new-zealand-weightlifter-to-become-first-trans-athlete-to-compete-in-olympics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>. Smith stated: "We acknowledge that gender identity in sport is a highly sensitive and complex issue requiring a balance between human rights and fairness on the field of play. "As the New Zealand team, we have a strong culture of manaaki (caring) and inclusion and respect for all." <h6>Featured image credit: Alamy / Blitz Pictures</h6>

Piers Morgan slams Olympics' first ever transgender athlete Laurel Hubbard in scathing rant

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