Hubbard’s selection is fuelling a fierce global debate about whether trans women should be allowed to compete in women’s sporting events, and – if they are – what the rules should be.
Trans rights campaigners say excluding trans athletes is discriminatory and will stoke bias against trans people in general, but critics say trans women athletes have an unfair physical advantage in women’s competitions.
The issue has been at the heart of a culture war in the United States between conservatives and supporters of U.S. President Joe Biden’s push for greater LGBTQ+ inclusion.
As more people come out as trans, the participation of trans women in women’s sport has increasingly been called into question, including by well-known sports stars.