Transgender athlete Laurel Hubbard has broken her silence after the International Olympic Committee confirmed her place in the women's weightlifting super-heavyweight category.
On July 17, the IOC backed the 43-year-old weightlifter, who was assigned male at birth, in her bid to represent New Zealand in the women's category.
Two weeks on from the groundbreaking decision, Hubbard has now commented on the "inclusivity" shown by the committee.
On Friday, July 30, a statement was read out on behalf of the athlete at an IOC briefing on inclusion.
Per the Daily Mail, the statement read: "I see the Olympic Games as a global celebration of our hopes, ideals, and values and I would like to thank the IOC for its commitment to making sport inclusive and accessible."
The decision to include Hubbard in the women's category has received a mixed response, with some arguing that she could have an unfair advantage over her cisgender competitors.
She has, however, received an outpouring of support from many sports fans online.
The IOC paved the way for trans athletes to participate in the women's categories at the Games without gender reassignment surgery in 2015.
Under the guidelines released at the time, their testosterone levels were required to be under 10 nanomoles per liter for at least 12 months prior to their first competition.
While Hubbard is the first openly transgender athlete to be picked for a spot at the Olympics, per the BBC, she is not the first to compete at the Games.
On Wednesday, July 21, Candian soccer star Quinn, who uses the pronouns they/them, became the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics.
Quinn plays for the Women's National Soccer Team in Canada and shared a similar statement of their own after their team's first match against FC Tokyo.
They wrote on social media: "I feel optimistic for change. Change in legislature. Changes in rules, structures, and mindsets.
"Mostly, I feel aware of the realities. Trans girls being banned from sports. Trans women facing discrimination and bias while trying to pursue their olympic dreams. The fight isn’t close to over… and I’ll celebrate when we’re all here."