A bearded pro powerlifter entered a women’s competition in Canada and smashed a record held by a transgender lifter who was watching on.
The NY Post reports Avi Silverberg, the head coach for Team Canada Powerlifting for more than 10 years, entered last weekend’s Heroes Classic tournament in Lethbridge, Alberta, after identifying as a female.
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Video shared by athlete activist group the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) shows him walking up to the platform still fully bearded and wearing a regular men’s singlet.
He then casually bench-pressed nearly 167kg — beating the current Alberta women’s record by almost 45kg.
The current record — 124kg pounds — is held by trans athlete Anne Andres, who was seen watching Silverberg while volunteering at the event.
Andres also holds the Alberta women’s record for the dead lift, at 245kg.
The trans lifter won eight of nine competitions entered in the women’s category over the last four years, ICONS said.
As Silverberg broke her record, Andres stood off to the edge of the platform area, only strolling back on after the male lifter walked off.
ICONS said Silverberg “mocked the discriminatory (Canadian Powerlifting Union) policy” that allows competitors to register for events under their “gender identity and expression, rather than their sex or gender,” vowing “no consequences” for doing so.
CPU’s transgender policy states an individual “should be able to participate in the gender with which they identify and not be subject to requirements for disclosure of personal information beyond those required of cisgender athletes”.
It also states: “Nor should there be any requirement for hormonal therapy or surgery.”
Meanwhile, the union’s competition registration policy states that a competitor’s “government-issued photo identification (excluding youth lifters) must be verified during the weigh-in or equipment check, including date of birth, province and gender at all competitions.”
It is unclear if Silverberg presented a government-issued ID identifying him as a female or was required to.
According to ICONS, “what Avi so obviously points out is that policies allowing men access to women’s sports completely remove any integrity in women’s competitions.”
“It doesn’t matter how Avi expresses himself or perceives himself. He clearly does not belong in women’s sport, and neither does any other male regardless of their motivation for wanting to participate.”
Silverberg, who is also an online coach and powerlifting columnist, has not directly addressed the competition.
However, Andres posted a series of lengthy videos calling him “a coward and a bigot” with “malicious intent.”
Still, in one clip, she openly admitted that “maybe my participation isn’t necessarily fair — you know, there’s science, whatever.”
In another follow-up, she said it was not her problem, however, because she “transitioned almost 20 years ago.”
“I got surgery — I can prove without any doubt whatsoever that I have gone through every step, which means whatever governing body decides to make decisions, I will pass that test.”
“I actually care about women in sport because I AM a woman in sport,” she wrote alongside one video.
Bodybuilding influencer Greg Doucette was among those highlighting the episode, noting how ludicrous it was for a man to so easily compete in a supposed drug-free event despite way higher testosterone.
“I think this proves a point,” Doucette said.
“If a guy can just show up and then set the … record, doesn’t that prove that it’s not fair? So how long before the powers-that-be suddenly wake up, smell the coffee and understand that if you’re born a female you’re not gonna be as powerful, as strong … as if you were born a male.”
“I’m stating facts,” Doucette said of the “unfair advantage” — comparing it to the advantage a woman would have if she entered a drag queen show against men.
“To me the answer is simple — we add a separate category, a new category, the trans category,” he said, adding it is especially important for combat sports where women competitors could get injured.
This article originally appeared in the NY Post and was reproduced with permission.
